Lahore, May 26 (IANS) Torrential rains and severe thunderstorms have claimed lives of at least 18 and injured more than 110 people in Pakistan’s Punjab province, the authorities revealed on Monday.

The aggressive rains swept away homes, causing structural collapse across the province. As per Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), rain-related incidents in the province were unprecedented and beyond expectations. It admitted that although heavy rainfall had been forecast, the severity of the system was not anticipated.

As many as 124 incidents of structural collapse have been reported so far from across the Punjab province since Saturday, majority of which are linked with solar panels installed on rooftops. Sources said that the solar panels were not installed with adequate safety measures.

“80 per cent of the collapses involved solar plates. Except for three incidents, all others were caused by these installations. We welcome solar technology, but installations must be secure to prevent such tragedies,” said PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia.

“I urge citizens to be prepared for worsening weather patterns as there is a link between increasing temperatures and extreme climate events,” he added.

Kathia warned that Pakistan is facing the consequences of a 1 to 1.5 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature, revealing that the year 2025 is the second consecutive year when a sudden seven degree Celsius increase in temperature has been witnessed during the summer season, which has caused severe heat waves.

“For any real reduction in temperature, we need serious action – afforestation, better urban planning and collective efforts across South Asia. Despite the fact that the government has introduced multiple measures to protect citizens, including water supply efforts and early warning systems; there is a need for regional cooperation and long-term strategies,” he said.

–IANS

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