PMD to submit report about recent windstorm to PM

Islamabad: Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) would provide material in defence of its ability, capacity and efficiency in a report to be submitted to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif about recent windstorm in twin cities and other areas of the country that killed above 30 people.

An official of PMD, who is part of the team that is preparing answers to the allegations in which it was stated that PMD failed to provide prior information about the thunderstorm, said dust and windstorms having the speed up to 167 km/h happened in the month of June so the windstorm that struck on 1st June was not a new phenomenon. According to the official data, the recent event of dust storm in Islamabad (wind speed 120Km/hr) and in Rawalpindi (wind speed 148Km/hr) was not the first event. In the past several events of dust storms have been recorded in twin cities during the month of June. He referred to the data that stated that on June 5, 2003, a dust storm having speed of 167km/h in Rawalpindi and 125km/h in Islamabad played havoc in the twin cities.

"Similarly, on June 23, 2010 a dust storm having speed of 155 km/h in Rawalpindi and 130 km/h in Islamabad again struck in the twin cities. The windstorm up to the speed of 157 km/h and 125 km/h in Rawalpindi and Islamabad respectively happened on June 12, 2010," he said. The official provided the forecast issued by PMD on May 31 that stated "Mainly hot and dry weather is expected over most parts of the country during day time ,however scattered dust thunderstorm, rain accompanied by strong gusty winds is expected in Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Rawalpindi divisions, Islamabad, FATA & Kashmir on Wednesday evening/night.”