Five die as rain, storms hit several Punjab cities

LAHORE: Rain and storms in upper parts of Punjab have brought down the mercury significantly, turning the weather pleasant, reducing the sweltering summer heat early Sunday.

Seasonal low lies over northwest of Balochistan and its adjoining areas and moist currents from Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal are penetrating upper and central parts of Pakistan.

In Kohlu, three people including a woman died after hit by a lightning bolt following heavy rain that flooded the city. Rivers and tributaries were also flooded with rainwater coming from the mountainous areas. Two motorcyclists were killed in Samundri when a wall of a school fell on them after a strong windstorm lashed the city.

In Lahore, the rain has turned the weather pleasant and decreased the mercury and a good number of people have also thronged the parks.

Meanwhile, the Met office has predicted more rains till Tuesday. Rain also hit Layyah, Chishtian, Kahror Pakka, Dunya Pur, Sargodha, Qila Ahmed Abad, Bado Mali and Khan Kaasa, where the temperature plunged to 28 degree Celsius.

In Narowal, various feeders were tripped leading to widespread loadshedding in the city. Light rain was also predicted in Karachi.

Rain wind-thunderstorms also occurred in Kashmir, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper and central Punjab.

However, the weather remained hot in other parts of the country, while very hot in Sindh, south/central Balochistan.

Rainfall (mm) in last 24 hours (Saturday): Punjab: Chakwal 35, Rawalpindi (Chaklala 31, Shamsabad 23), Islamabad (Saidpur 29, ZP 21, AP 15, Golra 05, Bokra 2), Hafizabad 28, Mangla 25, Narowal 16, Lahore (AP 16, City 09), Kasur 15, Gujranwala 13, Sialkot (City 11, AP 09), Murree09, Joharabad 08, M.B.Din, Jhelum, Gujrat 06, Sargodha (City 01), Balochistan: Barkhan 35, Kashmir: Kotli 26, Rawalakot 08, Muzaffarabad 07, Garhi dupatta 04, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: Kakul 23, Balakot 12, Saidu Sharif, Malam Jabba 10, Pattan 04.

Saturday’s highest maximum Temperature’s (°C): Nokkundi, Dalbandin, Sibbi 48, Dadu 47, Jacobabad, Larkana 46 and Shaheed Benazirabad 45.

On Monday, the weather office predicted that rain-wind or thundershower in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir and isolated heavy falls and hailstorm are also likely during the period.

Wind thunderstorms with heavy falls at times may generate urban flooding in low-lying areas of Azad Kashmir, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala and Sialkot on Monday (tomorrow). Hot and dry weather is expected in other parts of the country.