QUETTA:
Today (December 22) is the shortest day of the year which is also called ‘December solstice’.
Meanwhile Quetta experienced the coldest night of the current winter on Wednesday when mercury dipped to minus 9.5 Celsius. Maximum temperature recorded in the city was 7 Celsius.
The ongoing cold spell intensified in Quetta and northern Balochistan and the water got frozen in pipelines causing great difficulties for the residents. Water also froze in streets where motorcycles skidded off, resulting in injuries to the riders. Gas pressure also plunged in several localities of the metropolis adding to the difficulties of the people.
Kalat was the coldest area with minimum temperature of minus 12 Celsius and maximum of 5.5 Celsius today. Local Met office has predicted cold and frosty weather in Quetta and Kalat during the next 24 hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2011.
COMMENTS (1)
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Houses in Pakistan are not designed for cold weather. Come to think of it, they are not designed for hot weather either.
Has the government with all the machinery at its disposal thought to fund some research into how make existing houses more amenable for summer and winter temperatures with minimum use of gas ? Also there should be ideas about how to make houses more efficient in terms of heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. The solution to summer is not use air conditioners only. Or for winter to burn more gas. Small wonder there is a shortage of these.
We must learn to innovate with what we have. Stop looking to the west for everything.