Rains continued to lash different parts of the country on the third consecutive day on Thursday. Intermittent rainfall was reported from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It kept pouring in both the cities throughout the night. Similarly, rain, with snow over the hills, was reported from Mansehra, Kaghan Valley, Shogran, Naran, Tirah Valley and different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), turning the weather in these areas bitterly cold. One foot of snow was recorded in Tirah Valley, while a woman was killed when the roof of her house caved in. The roof of another house also collapsed but no fatalities were reported.

Likewise Shahrah-e-Kaghan and Shahrah-e-Resham had to be closed for traffic at different points due to heavy snow in Kaghan, Naran and Shogran. Naran received three feet of snow, while Shogran two and Kaghan one foot of snow. Showers were also reported from different areas of Balochistan, upper Sindh and southern Punjab during the last 24 hours. Several electricity feeders were tripped following intermittent rainfall in Kalat and its outskirts, which turned low-lying areas into pools of water. 

Different cities in upper Sindh also received light to moderate rainfall, which turned the weather pleasant. Showers were reported from Larkana, Daharki, Shikarpur, Tangwani, Kashmore, Thul and Thari Mirwah. On the other hand, the Met Office said that more rain and snow was expected in AJK, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Balochistan and different parts of Punjab during the next 24 hours. It also predicted heavy rainfall and hailstorms at some places, especially in KP, AJK, GB and north-east Punjab.  Showers, accompanied by strong gales, were forecast for Islamabad and its suburbs.

The weather department said the federal capital was also expected to be lashed by a hailstorm later in the evening today. It further said that rain and hailstorms in Peshawar, Mardan, Bannu, Kohat, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Bajaur and Khyber during the next 24 hours. Snow was predicted for the mountains. The department said that most areas in Balochistan would be lashed by rain and snow, while light rain was forecast for a few places in upper Sindh.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)