Downpour: Rain brings wave of distress to parts of K-P
Lowari Top closed due to weather; ban imposed on swimming in Kalpani River
A commuter holds an umbrella in the city. PHOTO: PPI
CHITRAL/PESHAWAR/MARDAN:
Heavy rain lashed parts of Chitral, Upper Dir, Peshawar and DI Khan on Friday. Lowari Top was closed and flight operations to and from Chitral were also disrupted due to inclement weather.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s regional office, 32 millimetres of rain was recorded in Upper Dir, 31mm in DI Khan and 11mm in Peshawar.
Inconvenienced
Officials told The Express Tribune Lowari Top was closed due to heavy rain and snowfall, disrupting the flow of traffic. As a result, commuters were stranded for several hours.
“Rain was not recorded in Mastuj, Torkahu and Morkahu areas of Chitral,” he added.
Mardan Deputy Commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh imposed a ban on swimming in Kalpani River following flood warnings by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Meanwhile, bad weather conditions disrupted the flight schedule at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA).
Airport officials told The Express Tribune a flight to and from Chitral was cancelled due to the conditions. They added another flight from Jeddah, which was scheduled to arrive at BKIA at 11am, was delayed due to operational reasons. The flight later arrived at 6pm. However, Civil Aviation Authority officials denied the claim, saying operations at BKIA were not affected and all flights landed and took off as per schedule.
Forecast
More rain is expected in the upper parts of the province.
According to the PMD statement, on Friday, a heavy downpour is expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan and Kohat.
“It is likely to continue till Saturday (today),” read the document. “It may trigger flash floods in vulnerable areas of the province.”
A day earlier, the FATA Disaster Management Authority ordered all political agents and assistant political agents of the tribal areas to prepare a contingency plan after weather advisories predicted extreme conditions.
The PMD issued a weather advisory earlier this week, warning that the decaying phase of the prevailing EI-Nino would produce heavy rains in March.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2016.
Heavy rain lashed parts of Chitral, Upper Dir, Peshawar and DI Khan on Friday. Lowari Top was closed and flight operations to and from Chitral were also disrupted due to inclement weather.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s regional office, 32 millimetres of rain was recorded in Upper Dir, 31mm in DI Khan and 11mm in Peshawar.
Inconvenienced
Officials told The Express Tribune Lowari Top was closed due to heavy rain and snowfall, disrupting the flow of traffic. As a result, commuters were stranded for several hours.
“Rain was not recorded in Mastuj, Torkahu and Morkahu areas of Chitral,” he added.
Mardan Deputy Commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh imposed a ban on swimming in Kalpani River following flood warnings by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Meanwhile, bad weather conditions disrupted the flight schedule at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA).
Airport officials told The Express Tribune a flight to and from Chitral was cancelled due to the conditions. They added another flight from Jeddah, which was scheduled to arrive at BKIA at 11am, was delayed due to operational reasons. The flight later arrived at 6pm. However, Civil Aviation Authority officials denied the claim, saying operations at BKIA were not affected and all flights landed and took off as per schedule.
Forecast
More rain is expected in the upper parts of the province.
According to the PMD statement, on Friday, a heavy downpour is expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan and Kohat.
“It is likely to continue till Saturday (today),” read the document. “It may trigger flash floods in vulnerable areas of the province.”
A day earlier, the FATA Disaster Management Authority ordered all political agents and assistant political agents of the tribal areas to prepare a contingency plan after weather advisories predicted extreme conditions.
The PMD issued a weather advisory earlier this week, warning that the decaying phase of the prevailing EI-Nino would produce heavy rains in March.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2016.