Widespread rain forecast next week

LAHORE: High humidity level continued to prevail in the city causing serious inconvenience for the citizens especially those who went outdoor for daily activities while Met office predicted widespread rain/thunderstorm with isolated heavy to very heavy falls in the country in the coming week.

Met officials informed that monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in upper parts of Pakistan from Sunday/Monday that will grip most parts of the country during the mid week. A westerly wave is also expected to grip upper parts of the country during the mid week.

They predicted that rain/thunderstorm with isolated heavy to very heavy falls is expected at a number of places in Islamabad, Upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad divisions), and Kashmir from Monday to Thursday. Rain-thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls is also expected at scattered places in Southern Punjab (DG Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal divisions) from Tuesday to Thursday.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, rain/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls is expected at scattered places in KP, Fata and Gilgit-Baltistan from Tuesday to Thursday while in Sindh and Balochistan, rain/thunderstorm with moderate to heavy falls is expected at scattered places in Sindh and eastern Balochistan (Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad and Kalat divisions) from Friday to Sunday.

Met officials informed that heavy to very heavy falls may generate urban flooding and flash flooding in the vulnerable areas particularly in Barsati Nullahs of Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, DG Khan divisions, KP and Kashmir. Due to intermittent rains, there is a risk of landslides in hilly areas of upper KP (Malakand, Hazara divisions), Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the period, they maintained.

On the other hand, rain-thundershowers with gusty winds occurred at scattered places in Lahore, Sargodha, DG Khan divisions, while at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, DI Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi divisions, Barkhan, Lasbella, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday while weather remained hot and humid in other parts of the country.  Rainfall was recorded in various cities, including Kot Addu (69mm), Sargodha (City 44mm, AP 39mm), Kasur (18mm), Bahawalnagar (09mm), Faisalabad (08mm), Rahimyar Khan (07mm), Gujranwala and Bhakkar (06mm), Joharabad (04mm), Mani Bahauddin and Sahiwal (03mm), Jhang, Multan, Shorkot and Bahawalpur (02mm), Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh and Noorpur Thal (01mm), Barkhan (23mm), Lasbella (01mm), Malam Jabba (16mm), DI Khan (08mm), Saidu Sharif and Kohat (02mm), Kakul (01mm), Rawalakot (12mm) and Kotli (06mm).

Friday’s maximum temperature was recorded at Dadu where mercury reached 46°C while in Lahore, it was 32°C, minimum was 22.8°C and humidity was 55 percent.

Meanwhile, acting on the advise of Met office, city administration and irrigation department have started taking emergency arrangements to tackle any possible flood in the provincial metropolis. This also included breaking of river bank (if needed) at several points to save the railway track, road and bridge. The administration also directed Rescue 1122, civil defence and other departments to remain vigilant to deal with any emergency.

However, the administration has stopped demolition of illegal structures, including houses, which were constructed illegally in the bed of River Ravi and gave a two-day time to the locals to vacant/demolish their buildings.

A senior official of civil administration said that the design capacity of bank of River Ravi at Shahdara is 250,000 cusecs whereas highest-ever flood recorded at Shahdara was 576,000 cusecs which passed the river on September 27, 1988. The second highest flood recorded at Shahdara on October 10, 1955 when 542,000 cusecs water passed from this segment of the river.

According to the Met office, present inflow and outflow at River Ravi is 24,800 cusecs which is below the category of low flood. They said low flood level at Shahdara is 40,000 cusecs, medium level is 65,000 cusecs, high flood will be at 90,000 cusecs, 135,000 will be very high flood and 180,000 can be termed exceptionally high.