Heavy rains wreak havoc in tourist hotspot

MURREE:

Thunderstorms across the region caused havoc in Murree as fog and black clouds engulfed the valley on Thursday.

Torrential downpour led to severe flooding in rivers and canals, turning roads into streams and causing traffic to come to halt. Trees and electric poles along GT Road and View Fourth Road trundled to the ground due to the heavy winds accompanied by rain, affecting the power supply in most areas. Rescue 1122 and administrative agencies carried out rescue operations, removing trees and poles from the road to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. Visibility on the roads was also reduced due to the heavy fog.

The start of pre-monsoon rains at the beginning of July made the weather pleasant early on, attracting tourists who came to Murree over the weekend to make the most of the summer vacations. The district administration has issued instructions to tourists and citizens to stay away from rivers and canals.

The upside of the heavy rains is that it brought an end to the intense heat that had been going on for the last three days. A significant drop in temperature was recorded. Tourists at Mall Road, Kashmir Point, Patriata, Ayubiya, Nathia Gali and other spots were seen enjoying the rain and cool weather.