Different parts of upper Punjab were lashed by rain, hailstorm and strong winds on Saturday morning, which although brought down the temperatures but also left several areas without electricity. Everything, roads, streets and rooftops of people’s homes, turned white after Wazirabad and its suburbs were pounded by a hailstorm. Similarly, hail and heavy rain in Narowal besides inundating low-lying areas also flooded bazaars and streets. The situation was no different in Tala Gang and Kharian where heavy rain and hail disturbed routine life. There was smog in Lahore and its outskirts in the morning as the air quality index (AQI) rose to 179. However, breeze that started blowing in the morning turned the weather pleasant. The humidity level was recorded at 79 per cent.

The inclement weather is likely to negatively affect rice crop in these areas. Rain, hail, snow predicted for KP, Punjab, AJK, GB On the other hand, the weather department has predicted heavy rain and hailstorms for Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the plains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab during the next 72 hours. It has said that during this period mountainous areas of Punjab, KP, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan will receive snow. It has forecast rain for Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Faisalabad divisions. Similarly rain has also been predicted for Zhob, Kohlu and Barkhan in Balochistan. The Met Office has warned of floods in streams and landslide in mountainous areas.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)