LAHORE - Parts of the country including Lahore received rainfall of varying intensity yesterday that disturbed normal routine life by causing inundation, massive traffic jams and frequent electricity outages.
However overcast conditions, strong winds and rains made the weather pleasant by maintaining mercury to a low level.
Widespread rain-thundershower accompanied by strong gusty winds occurred in Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and at isolated places in Mirpurkhas division and Gilgit Baltistan.
The rains disturbed normal routine life in major cities including Lahore as the rainwater inundated roads not only in low-lying areas but also in several posh localities.
Stagnant rainwater and slippery conditions of roads caused massive traffic jams in urban areas.
In Lahore, the rains continued intermittently throughout the day. Cloudbursts submerged roads in water, causing huge inconvenience to the motorists and pedestrians. The situation was worse along the route of under construction Orange Line Metro Train.
Maximum and minimum temperature in the city was recorded 22 degree Celsius and 12C respectively. Relative humidity in the evening was recorded 77 percent.
People came out of the houses in the evening to enjoy pleasant change in weather on holiday. Major parks and picnic spots attracted a large number of people including women and children. Huge rush was witnessed at Racecourse Park, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Jallo Park, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Lahore Zoo and other picnic spots.
According to the experts, westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country and likely to persist till next 24 hours. A fresh western disturbance is likely to approach southwestern parts of Balochistan on Tuesday.
Local meteorological department forecast scattered rain thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills accompanied by strong gusty winds for Kashmir, Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal divisions), upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat divisions), Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA during the next 24 hours.
Heavy rains are expected at scattered places in Kashmir, Malakand, Hazara divisions, upper FATA and at isolated places in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Gujranwala divisions.
Urban/flash flooding is feared in upper KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat divisions), FATA, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi divisions and Kashmir. Land sliding may occur in vulnerable areas of Hazara division and Kashmir during the period.
KP: Malam Jabba received 82mm rain, Chirat 79mm, Dir 50mm, Risalpur 36mm, Pattan 34mm,Saidu Sharif 33mm, Lower Dir 29mm, Peshawar and Balakot 25mm each, Chitral 23mm, Kalam 19mm, Mirkhani 18mm, Parachinar 17mm, Kohat 15mm, DI Khan 12mm, Bannu and Kakul 10mm each.
Punjab: Islamabad 63mm, Rawalpindi 57mm, Murree 48mm, Sargodha 33mm, M B Din 32mm, Mangla 30mm, Sialkot 27mm, Jehlum and Bhakkar 26mm each, Gujrat 21mm, Chakwal and D G Khan 18mm each, Kot Addu 16mm, Faisalabad and Noorpur Thal 15mm each, Gujranwala and Jhang 12mm each, Kasur 11mm, Joharabad 08mm, T T Singh 07mm, Okara 06mm, Multan and Layyah 04mm each, Bahawalnagar 03mm.
Kashmir: Rawalakot 76mm, Muzaffarabad 47mm, Kotli 46mm, Garidupatta 28mm.
Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza 03mm, Bagrot 01mm.
Balochistan: Kalat 03mm.
Sindh: Chorr 11mm, Mithi 06mm.