Brief respite: Rain clears out residual smog cloud

Met Office says more rainfall likely in isolated places in Punjab

LAHORE: A brief spell of rain helped clear the slight smog enveloping Lahore on Saturday with the Met Office predicting the prevailing smog in the adjoining districts would also dissipate in the coming days.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rain and thunderstorm were recorded in several districts of Punjab, including Gujranwala, Chakwal, Sialkot, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Mianwali, Jhelum, Lahore, Sahiwal and Kasur districts.

Lahore received 2mm of rain in scattered areas of the city while Gujranwala and Chakwal received 4mm of rain. Sialkot, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat also received 2mm of rain while 1mm rainfall was recorded in Mianwali and Jhelum.

The smog covering the north-eastern districts of Punjab since November 2 had resulted in an abnormal increase in deaths in road accidents as well as triggering health problems among a large number of people. The rain, however, cleared out the remaining smog and also pushed the mercury down.

In the next 24 hours, cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, said a PMD spokesperson.

Light rain and thunderstorms are expected at isolated places in Punjab, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas. Foggy conditions are likely to continue over Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Lahore, Multan, Sargodha, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal divisions during morning hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2016.