LAHORE – Parts of the country including Lahore received significant monsoon rains on Wednesday, bringing the life to a standstill by causing urban flooding, massive traffic jams and frequent electricity outages.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted the wet spell to continue intermittently during the week.
In Lahore, heavy rains in the afternoon submerged roads and streets not only in Northern Lahore but also in several posh localities in knee deep water.
Several localities were presenting pictures of lakes and ponds even hours after stoppage of rains.
The worst rain affected areas include Sharey Fatima Jinnah, Qartaba Chowk, Kalima Chowk, portions of Johar Town, Revaz Garden, Kashmir Road, Misri Shah, Farooq Gunj, Garden Town, Main Boulevard Allama Iqbal Town, Lackshami Chowk, Mohlanwal, Baghbanpura, Dubban Pura, Waris Road, GPO Chowk, Chauburji, Sanat Nagar, Samanabad, Nicholson Road, Sir Agha Khan Road, Misri Shah, Lytton Road, Farukhabad and underpasses along Lahore canal.
Several vehicles were broken down in different localities due to inundated rain water.
Significant rains and strong winds provided much-needed respite to the heat-stricken people by decreasing the mercury level.
The relief, however, was short-lived as high humidity again turned the weather sultry after stoppage of rains.
Rain-wind/thundershower with heavy falls at few places occurred in Sindh, northeastern Balochistan, Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Rainfall (mm):
Sindh: Padidan 164, Mirpur Khas 39, Hyderabad 17, Mohenjo-Daro and Sukkur 13 each, Sanghar 11, Rohri 06, Tando Jam 04, Chhor 03, Thatta and Khairpur 02 each and Sakrand 01.
Punjab: Lahore (Shahi Qila 107, Lakshmi Chowk 82, Gulshan-e-Ravi 71, Samanabad 48, Qurtaba Chowk 45, City 32, Chowk Nakhuda 12, Mughalpura and Gulberg 06 each, Upper Mall 05 and Nishtar Town 04), Khanewal 55, Rahim Yar Khan 30, Sialkot (City 29, Airport 07), Hafizabad 28, Noorpurthal 24, Islamabad (Saidpur 15, ZP 11), Sargodha 14, Joharabad, Bhakkar 12, Layyah 11, Gujranwala 09, Murree 08, Bahawalpur (Airport 08, City 01), Chakwal 07, Faisalabad, Dera Ghazi Khan and Kot Addu 03 each, Multan (City 02), Toba Tek Singh and Khanpur 01 each.
Balochistan: Sibbi 62, Barkhan and Turbat 12 each, Dalbandin 10, Lasbella 05, Gwadar 03, Panjgur 02, Khuzdar and Pasni 01 each.
Kashmir: Rawalakot 24, Garhidupatta 14, Kotli 06, Muzaffarabad (Airport 06, City 03).
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Kakul 16, Cherat 06, Dir 04, Peshawar (Airport 01).
Gilgit-Baltistan: Astore 01.
According to the synoptic situation, monsoon currents from Arabian Sea are continuously penetrating most parts of Pakistan. A westerly wave is also present over upper parts of the country.
Under the influence of these weather conditions, rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Balochistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, northeast/south Punjab, Islamabad, Pothohar region and upper Sindh during Wednesday evening/night.
On Thursday, rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, Pothohar region, Islamabad, eastern Balochistan and upper Sindh.
Heavy falls are likely to occur in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Potohar region and eastern Baluchistan during the forecast period.
Rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Murree, Galliyat, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Kasur, Mianwali, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Sahiwal during the next 24 hours.
Similar weather conditions are expected in Okara, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Vehari, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan during the period. Heavy falls may also occur at few places during the forecast period. Heavy rains may cause urban flooding in low lying areas, while flash flooding in local nullahs of Dera Ghazi Khan.
