PDMA issues alert for rain, strong winds

LAHORE:The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an alert on Monday regarding expected rain and strong winds in various parts of Punjab from June 2 to 5.

Rain accompanied by strong winds is forecast for Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Jhelum, and Gujranwala. From June 2 to 4, rain is also expected in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Khushab, Sargodha, and Mianwali. Additionally, South Punjab districts, including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, and Bahawalnagar, are likely to experience rainfall.

PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia stated that district administrations have been alerted as per the Punjab government's directives. Alerts have also been issued to the Health, Irrigation, Construction and Communications, Local Government, and Livestock departments. Citizens are advised to take precautionary measures during adverse weather conditions.

City witnesses hot, dry weather

Scattered rain hit the city on Monday evening while during the day the city’s weather remained hot and dry. Weather became pleasant after the rain, which was recorded as scattered and trace in different city localities.

Following the rain, though scattered, Managing Director Wasa Ghafran Ahmed started visiting disposal stations and sore points of the city and directed his field formations to remain alert. Met officials said continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country while a shallow westerly wave was also affecting northern parts of the country.

They predicted that mainly hot and dry weather was expected in most parts of the country while very hot in plain areas. However, partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thunderstorm was likely at isolated places in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northeastern Punjab, Potohar region, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Rainfall was also recorded at several cities including Muzaffarabad, Garhi Dupatta, Rawalakot, DG Khan and DI Khan. Monday’s highest maximum temperature was recorded at Sibbi where mercury reached 48°C while in Lahore it was 39°C. Meanwhile, the average AQI in the city was 71 while the PM2.5 concentration was 4 times the World Health Organisation (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline value.