Roads submerged, routine life badly disturbed

LAHORE The City received heavy rain on Wednesday morning, disturbing normal routine life as the rainwater inundated roads not only in low-lying areas but also several posh localities. The experts have forecast more rains with intervals during the next 3-4 days. Short bursts of heavy downpour submerged roads and streets in several localities into knee deep water and it took hours to WASA to clear inundated rainwater after stoppage of rains. The inundated rainwater on roads and roadsides added to the woes and miseries of motorists and pedestrians in the morning. Massive traffic jams were witnessed on a number of important arteries. Several incidents of skidding of motorcycles were also reported from various parts of the City. The rains and windy conditions provided respite to the Lahorites from the muggy weather in the morning. Though the sky remained covered with thick clouds almost throughout the day, lack of winds and rain turned the weather muggy at noon and in the afternoon, causing the Lahorites to sweat. Lahore Canal, as usual, attracted a large number of people including women and children at noon and in the afternoon. On Wednesday, maximum and minimum temperature in the City was recorded 33 degree Celsius and 22 C respectively. Relative humidity in the morning was recorded 96 per cent which decreased to 64 per cent in the evening. According to the experts, a trough of westerly wave persists over Kashmir and adjoining areas. Seasonal low lies over northeast Balochistan. Moist current from Arabian Sea is reaching Punjab up to 5000 feet. Local meteorological department has forecast partly cloudy weather with chances of rain for the City during the next couple of days. Met office has forecast scattered rains with isolated heavy falls over Lahore, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Kalat, Bannu and D I Khan divisions and Kashmir. Rains are also expected at isolated places of northeast Balochistan and Sindh. On Wednesday, Lahore received 98 mm rain, Sahiwal 43 mm, Faisalabad 38 mm, Bahawalnagar 27 mm, Noorpur Thal 26 mm, Okara 25 mm, Sialkot and Bhakkar 18 mm each, Jhang 12 mm, Balakot 09 mm, Mangla 07 mm, risalpur 06 mm, Sargodha, Kotli, Garhi Dupatta and Kakul 04 mm each, Toba Tek Singh, D I Khan, Muzaffarabad and Astore 03 mm each, Pattan and Chakwal 02 mm each while Rawlakot, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Chilas and D G Khan received traces of rain.