Rain, thunderstorm disrupt power supply

LAHORE:A major localised power breakdown hit provincial metropolitan on Sunday evening following rain and thunderstorm.

Many Lahorites have to break their fast amid blackout following an intense rain spell coupled with thunderstorm. Power supply from more than 100 feeders has been affected due to strong winds and rains in the district. The prolonged power failures at many localities also resulted in water shortage, making life even harder.

Scattered rain with hailstorm at various places was witnessed. The areas where hailstorm was witnessed included Johar Town, Township, Model town, Faisal Town, Rajgarh etc. Following the rain and hailstorm the temperature came down relieving the citizens from rising temperature.

Nerjis Leghari, a local resident, strongly criticised Lesco management over frequent power breakdowns. She added that it is a norm that electricity supply got affected even after a brief rain. Zeeshan Ansari, another hapless consumer, observed that there is no electricity in Kahna Nau area for the last 5 hours after thunderstorm. He said power suspension has become a routine.

Abid Mehmood said local staff was not cooperating and receiving phone calls for complaints against the frequent electricity outages.Another consumer claimed that Lesco employees didn’t bother to attend the call while the electricity cut off in Batapur.

According to an official of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), the management of power utility took measures for early restoration of electricity supply in the city. He appealed to the customers for their cooperation.

Field staff is on high alert on the directives of Lesco Chief Ch Muhammad Amin, he added. He claimed that power supply has been restored in 50 per cent of the affected areas in the region including Lahore before Iftar while restoration work is under way in other affected areas.

Met office predicted partly cloudy weather with chances of rain for the next 24 hours.Met officials said that a westerly wave was affecting upper parts of the country. They predicted that hot and dry weather was likely to prevail in most plain areas of the country. However, thunderstorm was expected in Upper Punjab, Upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Upper Sindh, Lower Balochistan, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas.Thunderstorm was also observed in Balakot, Malam Jabba, Kakul, Mithi and Murree.