First pre-monsoon rains lash twin cities
12 June, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted the first pre-monsoon weather system likely to grip upper and central parts of the country from Wednesday evening or night and may continue till the start of next week.
The PMD Spokesman informed the pre-monsoon weather system was approaching towards the south-eastern parts of the country and likely to spread over the upper parts on Wednesday evening.
Under the influence of this rainy system, pre-monsoon rainfall is expected to start in Kashmir, northeast Punjab and southeast Sindh on Tuesday night and likely to continue in different parts of the country till Monday.
Met-Office predicted the pre-monsoon showers with dust-thunderstorm in capital, upper Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions, Lower Sindh, including Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad and Karachi divisions, southeast Balochistan, including Kalat, Makran and Naseerabad divisions and Kashmir is expected in next 24 to 36 hours.
The prevailing extreme heat wave is likely to subside in most parts of the country from Wednesday or Thursday till the start of next week.
The thunderstorm-rain is also expected at scattered places in south Punjab, Upper Sindh, lower KP and Gilgit-Baltistan during the period.
The PMD spokesman also informed that a fresh westerly wave is also expected to approach the upper parts of the country on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning that would interact with pre-monsoon currents.
Due to this, widespread thunderstorm-rain associated with strong gusty winds at isolated places is expected in Upper Punjab, Upper KP and Kashmir from Thursday to Sunday.
A spokesman further informed that there is high probability of early onset of monsoon rains in Pakistan this year.
Meanwhile, in Lahore, heavy downpour brought down mercury level here on Tuesday, proving some relief to citizens facing long hours of load shedding in sweltering temperatures.
People took to the streets and headed for parks and other public places hoping to make the most out of the rainfall and the breeze.
Fortress Stadium, Racecourse Park and restaurants were packed as families also came out in large numbers. "Rain was really a blessing after the heat spell and huge load shedding. Load shedding has made our lives miserable. Even UPS has given up on us," said Abdul Rehman, a citizen.
Another citizen Kamil Saeed said he has just arrived from London and the change of weather is a "gift from God."
A housewife, Nitasha Akmal, said that they were quite disturbed by the hot weather and massive load shedding but the rain has excited us. The Meteorological Department had forecast rain in Lahore and other parts of the country from Tuesday as a weather system moved in from the Arabian Sea. Officials say the spell could continue till Monday.
On the other hand, 90 percent feeders of the city were shut down due to rain and strong winds.
Strong winds caused a wall to collapse in Shadbag, leaving a woman and her three children buried under the rubble. The rescue 1122 shifted the injured to nearly hospital where 7-year-old Mateen died. The mother and the remaining two siblings are said to be out of danger.
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