JARANWALA — Recent heavy rains have caused severe flooding in informal settlements across Jaranwala, leaving many residents trapped in their homes. The downpour, which lasted two to three hours overnight, inundated streets and low-lying areas, disproportionately affecting low-income neighborhoods and shantytowns.
Residents of areas such as Rasheed Abad, Shaheen Abad, Islam Nagar, Ghaseet Pura, Dogar Basti, and Manawala report water entering their homes for several days, with little to no assistance from local authorities. Despite claims by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) of preparedness for the monsoon season, many say that relief efforts have focused mainly on main roads and affluent localities, neglecting the needs of vulnerable informal communities.
WASA officials explained that their priority is to clear water from main roads and designated drainage areas to ensure traffic flow, followed by secondary roads and residential neighborhoods. Efforts to drain floodwater from low-lying zones are ongoing, but the agency acknowledges limitations in resources and capacity.
This flooding highlights the ongoing risks faced by informal settlements during heavy rains and calls attention to the urgent need for more inclusive urban planning and emergency response measures to protect these marginalized communities.
