First winter rain lashes Punjab

Cold increases after downpour, strong winds

LAHORE: A light shower in Lahore and other parts of the province turned the weather cold and washed away atmospheric pollution that was causing smog on Thursday.

The light drizzle forced citizens to wear warmer clothes as the mercury level in provincial capital dropped dramatically due to continuous rain. Although the weather turned chillier after rain, it caused water ponding in low lying areas, which caused traffic congestion on major city roads.

The intermittent rain tripped more than 160 LESCO feeders, plunging portion of the provincial capital in darkness. The power outages affected various areas including Ravi Road, Badami Bagh, Misri Shah, Shadbagh, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Samanabad, Chauburji, Nawa Kot, Shahdara, Abbot Road and Shimla Pahari.

LESCO officials said the work to restore electricity will start soon after the rain stops and all teams have been put on high alert.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said a westerly wave was affecting most upper and central parts of the country and rain, thunderstorm (snowfall over mountains) is expected at scattered places in districts of north Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper, central Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan. It also warned that heavy falls were also expected at isolated places in Kashmir.

At least two killed as rain lashes Karachi

As per weather forecast report issued by the PMD rain and thunderstorm occurred at scattered places in districts of Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir. It forecasts that rain and thunderstorm (snowfall over mountains) is also expected in districts of north Punjab, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir on Friday. Heavy falls were also expected at isolated places in Kashmir, while fog is likely to prevail in upper, south Punjab and upper Sindh during morning and night.

The report highlights that following rainfall (in mm) is recorded in different areas of the country: Mithi 32mm, Mirpurkhas 07mm, Shaheed Benazirabad, Thatta 04mm, Hyderabad, Tandojam 03mm, Jacobabad and Rohri 01mm. While in Quetta 14mm, Barkhan 09mm, Kalat 08mm, Sibbi 06mm, Dalbandin 03mm and Turbat, Jiwani 01mm

The Met dept n Malmjabba recorded 07mm, Saidusharif 02mm and in Dir 01mm. In Punjab, Bahawalpur received 16mm, Rahim Yar Khan, Sahiwal, Multan 13mm, Khanewal, Bahawalnagar 11mm, Kotaddu 10mm, Okara 09mm, Khanpur 08mm, DG Khan 07mm, Lahore 07mm, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Narowal 05mm, Jhang, Bhakkar, Layyah 04mm and Gujrat 03mm, Sargodha 02mm, Faisalabad and TT Singh 01mm.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2019.