PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Breaking nearly three months long dry-spell, the scattered heavy rains continued lashing parts of Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with an intermittent interval since last Tuesday evening, making weather cold and chilly.
Moderate to heavy downpour have been reported from scattered places of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) including Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Charat, Swabi, Mardan, Lower Dir, Swat, Malam Jabba, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Bannu, Kohat, Kalam, Dir, Parachinar Kurram Agency, Khyber Agency and adjoining areas that has turned the weather extremely chilly, forcing people to wear additional warm cloths and sweaters to beat coldness.
The Met Official told the state-run news agency in Peshawar APP on Wednesday that Peshawar has received 60 mm rain followed by Cherat Nowshera 49m,Bannu 43mm, Risalpur 42mm,Kohat 27mm, Lower Dir 17mm, Kakul Abbottabad 15mm and Malamjabba 13mm respectively during last 24 hours.
Light to moderate rain also lashed Dir 7mm, Parachinar 4mm, Saidu Sharif Swat 2mm and Chitral 2mm, DI khan, Kalam and Balakot 1mm each during the said period.
The present rainfall was caused by a westerly wave that is still affecting upper parts of the country including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and likely to persist next 24 hours.
Giving prediction of rain fall in next 12 hours, the official said more thunderstorm rain with snowfall over the hills is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Kohat, Peshawar divisions and upper FATA.
Parachinar Kurram Agency, Bara-Jamrud, Tirah of Khyber Agency, Orakzai and Kurram Agency is also expected to receive rainfall.
More rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected at isolated places in Malakand division and upper FATA in next 24 hours whereas thunderstorm rain is likely to lash isolated places in in Malakand division during next 48 hours.
Snowfall fall at Kalam, Malamjabba, and Nathia Gali was also expected in next 24 hours.
The scattered rain ended nearly three month long dry spell in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA by bringing happiness in faces of residents.
“Baran-e-Rehmat (rain for mercy) was a great blessing of Allah Almighty for people as it would extremely help control seasonal infections like cough, chest, flue and other environmental related diseases besides helping to achieve pumper wheat crops this season,” Misal Khan, a progressive farmer and resident of Nowshera told the news agency.
“I was waiting for this much awaited rain for cultivation of wheat in my arid lands and all the farmers in KPK were happy on this rain,” he said.
Cultivation of wheat in arid areas in southern KP would soon start following stoppage of rain and per acre wheat production would be high this season compare to last due to timely downpour this winter season.
The doctors termed the rainfall are extremely beneficial for controlling seasonal infections and Smog in plain areas of KPK and Punjab.
“Rain is very important to control Smog and season infections like cough and chest related diseases especially in children and these heavy showers would certainly helpful in controlling these ailments,” Chest Specialist Dr Sabz Ali Khan said.
Before the rain fall, he said cases of chest, flue, cough and others seasonal infections were increased in hospitals and private clinics mostly of children.
Patients of asthma would also get relief from rains due to improvement of air and reducing of environmental pollution and Smog.
The heavy downpour has forced people of Peshawar to bring out warm cloths and sweaters to protect them from cold.
The rush of buyers was increased in sweaters shops and landa bazaars where shopkeepers have also increased prices owing to increase in chilliness in the provincial capital.
A woolen sweater that was available on Rs1500 in open market before rain was be sold at Rs2000 that was beyond purchase of low income groups.
The people have requested the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and district administration to ensure check on prices of woolen garments and blankets in open market and ensure its available at reasonable rate to people.
