As many as nine people were killed while 37 were injured in different incidents of roof and wall collapse in Punjab during the last 24 hours. Four people lost their lives, while 14 were injured in Gujranwala. Two people were killed, while two others were injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Pakpatan, while a woman was killed in Sahiwal. Four people were injured at Band Road near Gulshan-e-Ravi in Lahore, while 12 were injured in different incidents of roof and wall collapse in Bahawalnagar, Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin.

A two-year-old child lost his life after being trapped under the debris when the roof of his family's house collapsed during heavy monsoon rains in the Tora Khola area of Zhob district. According to sources, rainfall also caused widespread damage to several houses in Zhob city and its surrounding areas, leaving many families affected. Following the incident, Assistant Commissioner Zhob, Muhammad Naveed Alam, immediately visited the affected area to assess the situation.

During the visit, he inspected the damaged houses and reviewed extent of the destruction caused by the recent rains. Speaking on the occasion, the assistant commissioner said that a large number of houses in Tora Khola had been damaged due to heavy rainfall. He confirmed that the collapse of a room in one of the houses had resulted in the tragic death of a two-year-old child. Muhammad Naveed Alam directed the concerned authorities to provide all possible assistance to the affected family and ensure that necessary relief measures are taken without delay.

He assured that the district administration stands with the affected families during this difficult time. He further stated that a comprehensive assessment of the losses would be carried out and relief operations would be initiated as soon as possible to support those affected by the disaster. Meanwhile, local residents have urged the government to provide immediate financial assistance to the affected families and to take emergency measures for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of rain-damaged houses. A man lost his life and three others, including a woman and a young child, were injured after the roof of a house collapsed in Kot Babu Khan area of Raiwind in Lahore on Wednesday.

According to Rescue officials, the roof suddenly caved in, trapping the occupants under the debris. Rescue teams rushed to the scene and carried out an operation to remove those trapped beneath the rubble. The injured were provided with first aid before being shifted to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment. Rescue officials confirmed that the injured include a woman and a minor child. Police said the body of the deceased has been shifted to the morgue for legal formalities. Rescue sources stated that the roof was old and had been constructed with wooden beams.

Continuous rainfall had weakened the structure, causing it to collapse. Authorities have urged residents living in old and unsafe buildings to take precautionary measures, especially during the ongoing rainy season, to prevent similar incidents. On the other hand, the Met Office forecast widespread intermittent thundershowers for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Islamabad, Punjab, North-East Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan during the next 24 hours.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)