t rained, finally. And it rained like we always knew it might — the kind of heavy showers in summers that bring the temperature down, and give everything out there a great wash, and make all foliage look greener, and the earth smell exotic…

The early Friday morning downpour was long overdue. After three endlessly hot months that the people of Lahore had braved, the spell was finally broken, and the city got its first real shower in what seemed like ages. Previously, there had been one or two occasions when rain was forecast — ironically, the disaster management agencies had even warned of a flash flood — but what we received was little more than light drizzle, and the clouds were swept away by the winds sooner than we wanted them to.

But, as they say, it never rains but it pours, the Friday’s shower which had followed a heavy dust storm inundated several parts of the city including Garhi Shahu, Davis Road and Egerton Road. Isolated incidents of roof collapse and individuals losing their lives or being hurt were also reported. Besides, the power system was disrupted, as about a hundred feeders in different parts of the city tripped.