At least eight people were killed and 14 others injured in rain-related incidents across Gujranwala, Narowal, Pakpattan, and Lahore in Pakistan's Punjab province on Wednesday, 22 July, according to local media reports. The casualties were caused by roof and wall collapses, drowning, and electrocution as heavy downpours battered multiple cities simultaneously.

Gujranwala Bears the Brunt

Gujranwala was the worst-hit city, where at least six people — mostly children — were killed and 10 others injured. Rescue officials attributed the deaths to roof and wall collapses, drowning in ponds, and electrocution. The city endured nearly 10 hours of continuous downpour, submerging main roads and surrounding areas under rainwater.

The situation in Gujranwala was compounded by ongoing excavation work on GT Road for the construction of a metro bus route between Eminabad and Gakhar Mandi, according to Pakistan's daily Dawn. The disruption to roads severely hampered rescue operations and brought commercial activity to a halt. In neighbouring Gujrat, a trailer slipped on the GT Road Bypass and fell into a ditch, while roads and low-lying areas were similarly inundated.

Pakpattan and Lahore Also Hit

In Pakpattan, two minor children died and their mother sustained injuries after the roof of their house collapsed during the rains. Separately, in the Gulshan-e-Ravi area of Lahore, the roof of a factory caved in, leaving four workers injured.

Earlier Devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The Punjab incidents follow a deadly spell earlier in the week. On Monday, 21 July, nine people were killed as torrential rains and flash floods struck Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, with fatalities reported in Khyber, Mardan, and Bajaur districts.

According to Rescue 1122 spokesman Bilal Ahmad Faizi, the bodies of two young men were recovered in Landikotal, while four others — including a woman and a child — were found in Jamrud. Two children died after a roof collapsed in Mardan, and one person perished in Bajaur, bringing the KPK toll to nine.

Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts damaged roads, bridges, houses, shops, fish farms, orchards, crops, and public infrastructure across Mansehra, Abbottabad, Chitral, Shangla, and other districts, suspending traffic and disrupting electricity and communication networks, according to Pakistan-based daily The News International.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Highway Shut, Vehicles Swept Away

The Pakistan-Afghanistan highway remained closed for several hours after flash floods inundated roads at nine locations where seasonal streams rose to dangerous levels. Residents reported that a vehicle carrying Afghan nationals was swept away by floodwaters in Landikotal, while two other vehicles were submerged near Zakaria Mosque in Landikotal and Sultankhel village. Local residents managed to rescue the occupants of those vehicles.

A video of a man reportedly trapped in floodwaters in Khyber district and appealing for help circulated widely on social media; he was subsequently swept away by the strong current, according to reports.

Monsoon Season Outlook

The back-to-back disasters across two provinces underscore the mounting toll of Pakistan's 2025 monsoon season. Pakistan has historically faced severe flood damage during the monsoon months, most catastrophically in 2022 when floods submerged a third of the country. With the season still at an early stage, authorities face pressure to reinforce flood-response infrastructure and early-warning systems ahead of further heavy rainfall forecasts.