Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Gujrat and its adjoining areas after a record-breaking 573 millimetres of rainfall turned the city into a flood zone, inundating streets, markets, government offices, and residential areas.

Urban flooding left several feet of water standing across major localities. Business centres, the DC Complex, and the District and Sessions Court were submerged under up to four feet of water.

Gujrat’s central jail was also flooded, forcing authorities to transfer inmates to prisons in Lahore and Gujranwala.

Earlier, more than 1,000 prisoners from Sialkot Jail had been moved to Gujranwala, Hafizabad, and Narowal after devastating rains hit the city on August 27.

The torrential downpour also caused the collapse of a vacant two-storey building in Jalalpur Jattan, where floodwaters had weakened foundations.

In Baradari, Muslimabad, Mohallah Khawajgan, Hasan Chowk, and Rang Pura, floodwaters reached GT Road, further disrupting traffic and business activities.

Residents reported widespread destruction of property worth millions of rupees. Farmlands and nearby villages were submerged, paralysing daily life.

Panic gripped the city as floodwaters entered homes and shops, while social organisations were seen providing relief amid the absence of district authorities.

Local administration has ordered schools closed across the district and called in heavy machinery from other cities for drainage operations.

Traders in Nawab Chowk and Circular Road expressed frustration over stagnant floodwater hampering business.

The flooding in Gujrat follows last week’s disaster in Sialkot, where 355mm of rainfall drowned the city, leaving major roads, markets, and neighbourhoods under two to three feet of water.

More rain predicted

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned of another spell of monsoon showers in several regions.

From September 6-9, heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Tharparkar.

Punjab districts, including Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Multan, and Dera Ghazi Khan, may also face fresh downpours.

In northern areas, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, and Potohar are likely to receive thunderstorms, while eastern and southern Balochistan are forecast to experience heavy rains between September 7–9.

Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir may see rain-triggered landslides in hilly regions, including Swat, Dir, Bajaur, Buner, and Peshawar.

Experts warn that climate change is amplifying the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, making Pakistan one of the most disaster-prone countries in the region.