Peshawar, other parts of KP receive rain

PESHAWAR: Light shower lashed the provincial capital Tuesday afternoon which turned the weather pleasant.

There were also reports of rain from other parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. It rained for a short interval but made the environment pleasant. Though weather pundits had predicted rains and thunderstorms from Sunday night, Peshawar received the light shower on Tuesday.

According to Met Office, Kalam received 24 millimeter, the highest amount of rain during the last 24 hours flowed by 18 in Merkhani, Pattan 17, Drosh 14, Chitral 13, Malam Jabba and Balakot 10, Dir and Chelas 08, Kakul 06, DI Khan, Saidu Sharif 03 and Parachinar 02 millimetre.

Partly cloudy weather is expected in most parts of the province. However, widespread rain-wind-thunderstorm (with hailstorm at a few places) is expected in Chitral, Bajaur, Dir (Lower & Upper), Swat, Shangla, Bunner, Malakand, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan & Swabi districts, at isolated places in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North & South Waziristan, Tank and D I Khan districts.

Meanwhile, isolated heavy rainfall is also expected in Upper Dir, Swat, Malakand, Bunner, Shangla, Kohistan, Torghar, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur districts. Usually, it rains during March and April but during the current season rains were scarce and a dry spell prevailed that affected wheat crops in rain-fed areas. While rains at the time when wheat crop is almost ready for harvesting might have bad impacts on production.

According to farmers, the current spell of rain may have bad impacts on the wheat crops, fruit and vegetable as often windstorm and hailstorm accompany the rain which destroy not only the standing crops but also the crop harvested and stocked.

The windstorm that continued for about four days during the last week has already caused damage to crops and fruit orchards. The storm badly damaged the blooming fruit orchards and even uprooted trees. Fruit and vegetable production was also affected during the windstorm and further rain and storm might add to the miseries and losses of the growers.