Record monsoon rains brought Lahore to a standstill on Thursday, inundating roads, homes and underpasses, while rain-related incidents across Punjab have claimed at least 21 lives and injured 154 people over the past three days, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) said Lahore Airport recorded 263 millimetres of rain during a single spell, one of the highest downpours in the city’s recent history.

The torrential rain submerged major roads and low-lying neighbourhoods, leaving traffic severely disrupted as vehicles and motorcycles stalled in several feet of standing water.

In Lahore’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), residents resorted to using boats after floodwater made roads impassable.

According to WASA, other rainfall totals included 155mm in Tajpura, 143mm in Kahna, 132mm in Shadipura, 129mm in Mughalpura, 114mm on Upper Mall, 106mm in Manawan, 81mm in Johar Town, 62mm at Chowk Nakhuda, 56mm in Nishtar Town, 54mm in Iqbal Town, 52mm at the Gulberg head office, 45mm on Defence Road, 32mm in Samanabad and 28mm on Jail Road.

Harbanspura Underpass, Ghazi Underpass, Masjid Chowk Underpass and several underpasses in DHA were completely submerged and closed to traffic.

Lahore’s Chief Traffic Officer urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel until water levels recede.

Several low-lying areas, including Tajpura, Mughalpura, Sahafi Colony, Jallo Park, Medical Scheme, Tajpura Scheme, Lock Jan Chowk and Watin Chowk, remained under several feet of water, with rainwater entering numerous homes.

Flooding also caused road cave-ins in parts of the city.

On Ferozepur Road near Rehmanpura and Ichhra, water accumulation and damaged roads led to multiple motorcycle accidents.

Khayaban-e-Firdousi suffered another road collapse despite the installation of new sewerage lines worth Rs2 billion, while an LWMC truck became stuck after a road caved in on Habibullah Road in Garhi Shahu, disrupting traffic.

Two brothers, identified as 18-year-old Hamza and 16-year-old Hassan, were killed when their motorcycle skidded and struck a footpath near Centre Park Gate No. 2 during the rain.

Police said preliminary investigations suggest the motorcycle went out of control due to the slippery road.

The victims were travelling from Lahore to Kasur.

In another incident, four people were injured when the roof of a house collapsed in DHA Phase IV.

Rainwater also entered the Cantonment Court premises, raising concerns over possible damage to court records.

The PDMA said Lahore received a cumulative 343mm of rainfall over the past three days, the highest in Punjab.

Other major totals included 286mm in Gujranwala, 278mm in Sialkot, 235mm in Narowal, 196mm in Murree, 177mm in Mandi Bahauddin, 143mm in Gujrat, 135mm in Jhelum, 108mm in Hafizabad, 102mm in Mangla, 96mm in Chakwal, 71mm in Okara, 66mm in Jhang, 57mm in Toba Tek Singh, 43mm in Rawalpindi, 35mm in Layyah and 34mm in Dera Ghazi Khan.

According to the PDMA, rain-related accidents and roof collapses across Punjab have killed 21 people and injured 154 others during the past three days.

WASA said drainage operations are continuing on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and that rainwater has been cleared from around 80% of the city.

The PDMA said the second spell of the monsoon is expected to continue until Friday and advised residents to avoid low-lying areas, seasonal streams, rivers and structurally weak buildings.