Swept away: Countrywide dust storms kill 8, injure 60
Causes widespread destruction of crops, property and electricity lines across various cities.
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD/LAHORE:
Eight people were killed and over 60 injured as heavy dust storms hit multiple cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar on Tuesday.
Peshawar
In Peshawar, a powerful dust storm hit the valley on Tuesday afternoon killing four people, including three children and injuring more than 30 people.
The storm also caused widespread destruction of crops and uprooted trees along the main University Road — disrupting power supply to many areas of the city.
Metrological office official Mushtaq Ali Shah told the Express Tribune that a “Western Winds System” had hit the western borders of Pakistan, causing dust storms from Quetta to Peshawar.
“The Western system basically carries cold winds while the temperature in Pakistan has been very warm for the past couples of days. This interaction has resulted in the shape of a heavy dust storm in the area,” he explained.
“The winds were blowing with a speed of 55 km per hour,” he said, adding that the condition would remain in the country for at least three more days.
Roze Ameen was killed inside a factory on the Warsak Road when the boundary wall collapsed.
“Six other people have been brought to the hospital that have been injured in the storm and we have also received a dead body from the Warsak Road area,” officials of the hospital revealed.
Similarly, in the Palosai village, three children were killed and four injured when the roof of a hujra (guesthouse) collapsed. The victims have been identified as Maryam, Azra and Suliman who were playing in the area when the roof collapsed. The injured children have been identified as Fatima, Rozena, Amer and Waqas.
Lahore
Meanwhile, four people were killed and as many as 30 others were injured after the boundary wall of a factory collapsed as weather turned rough, unleashing a thunderstorm in Lahore.
The incident took place when labourers of the Lahore Textile Mills were working at Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura.
Strong winds, dust and thunderstorm caused walls of a number of houses and some trees to collapse in the city. The metrological department recorded the speed of the wind at 70 km per hour.
Meteorological Center Lahore Regional Director Mehar Sahibzad Khan told The Express Tribune that light and scattered rain was reported in several areas of the city and in Sargodha and Noorpur.
He said these were the first fastest winds of this year.
Rawalpindi-Islamabad
The twin cities on Tuesday witnessed a minor dust storm with a speed of 55 km per hour, however no injuries were reported.
Metrological Department Director General (DG) Arif Mehmood said that light rain, between 1mm to 2mm, is expected in the next 24 hours in the capital.
Meanwhile, the effects of the dust storms were felt across Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Mianwali, Ferozwala, Muridke, Sargodha and Sheikhupara.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2012.
Eight people were killed and over 60 injured as heavy dust storms hit multiple cities including Lahore, Faisalabad, Quetta and Peshawar on Tuesday.
Peshawar
In Peshawar, a powerful dust storm hit the valley on Tuesday afternoon killing four people, including three children and injuring more than 30 people.
The storm also caused widespread destruction of crops and uprooted trees along the main University Road — disrupting power supply to many areas of the city.
Metrological office official Mushtaq Ali Shah told the Express Tribune that a “Western Winds System” had hit the western borders of Pakistan, causing dust storms from Quetta to Peshawar.
“The Western system basically carries cold winds while the temperature in Pakistan has been very warm for the past couples of days. This interaction has resulted in the shape of a heavy dust storm in the area,” he explained.
“The winds were blowing with a speed of 55 km per hour,” he said, adding that the condition would remain in the country for at least three more days.
Roze Ameen was killed inside a factory on the Warsak Road when the boundary wall collapsed.
“Six other people have been brought to the hospital that have been injured in the storm and we have also received a dead body from the Warsak Road area,” officials of the hospital revealed.
Similarly, in the Palosai village, three children were killed and four injured when the roof of a hujra (guesthouse) collapsed. The victims have been identified as Maryam, Azra and Suliman who were playing in the area when the roof collapsed. The injured children have been identified as Fatima, Rozena, Amer and Waqas.
Lahore
Meanwhile, four people were killed and as many as 30 others were injured after the boundary wall of a factory collapsed as weather turned rough, unleashing a thunderstorm in Lahore.
The incident took place when labourers of the Lahore Textile Mills were working at Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura.
Strong winds, dust and thunderstorm caused walls of a number of houses and some trees to collapse in the city. The metrological department recorded the speed of the wind at 70 km per hour.
Meteorological Center Lahore Regional Director Mehar Sahibzad Khan told The Express Tribune that light and scattered rain was reported in several areas of the city and in Sargodha and Noorpur.
He said these were the first fastest winds of this year.
Rawalpindi-Islamabad
The twin cities on Tuesday witnessed a minor dust storm with a speed of 55 km per hour, however no injuries were reported.
Metrological Department Director General (DG) Arif Mehmood said that light rain, between 1mm to 2mm, is expected in the next 24 hours in the capital.
Meanwhile, the effects of the dust storms were felt across Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Mianwali, Ferozwala, Muridke, Sargodha and Sheikhupara.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2012.