Lahore experienced a severe dust storm accompanied by heavy rainfall on Thursday, which led to the tripping of over 130 electricity feeders and widespread power outages across the city and its surrounding areas. This abrupt weather change brought cooler temperatures, offering relief from the intense summer heat, but it also caused significant disruptions to the Lahore Electric Supply Company’s (LESCO) power transmission network.
A LESCO spokesperson confirmed that 138 feeders were knocked offline due to the strong winds and heavy rain, while an additional 23 feeders encountered technical faults. Within Lahore’s metropolitan limits alone, 72 feeders went offline, resulting in power cuts across several densely populated neighborhoods.
The outages occurred when LESCO’s electricity demand was at 3,700 megawatts (MW), matching its official power allocation from the national grid. In response, LESCO placed its field teams on high alert to address the situation promptly.
Restoration efforts began immediately after the rain subsided, with the utility urging consumers to remain patient and cooperate during the emergency repairs. The company also advised residents to report outages through official channels rather than attempting any self-repairs. For emergencies, consumers were instructed to contact local complaint offices or call the 118 helpline.
Additionally, LESCO issued a safety warning, advising the public to keep children and pets away from wet electrical equipment, transformers, and fallen power lines to prevent accidents.
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) reported that the rainfall affected nearly all parts of Lahore, with varying intensities recorded at multiple monitoring stations. The highest rainfall was recorded in Gulshan-e-Ravi at 14.4 mm, followed by Sgiyan with 13.2 mm and Samanabad at 11 mm. Other areas such as Lakshmi Chowk received 8.2 mm, Upper Mall 6.2 mm, and Jail Road, Mason Road, and Lawrence Road each recorded 6 mm. Lower amounts were noted at Head Office Gulberg (5.6 mm), Chowk Nakhuda (4 mm), Allama Iqbal International Airport (1.8 mm), and Farrukhabad (1.6 mm).
Major roads and intersections including Ferozepur Road, Qurtaba Chowk, Waris Road, Queens Road, Riaz Colony, and Liberty Chowk also experienced significant water accumulation. In response, WASA deployed drainage teams to clear water from low-lying areas prone to flooding.
