RAWALPINDI: Lightrain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday turned the weather chilly, adding to the shortage of natural gas for domestic consumers.

The rainstarted in the wee hours and varying from drizzle tolightshowers continued with intervals.

The meteorological department recorded two millimetres of rainat Zero Point and one mm at Golra and Rawalpindi. It also predicted morerain on Monday morning.

Due to the drop in the temperature to eight degrees Celsius, a very low pressure of natural gas was reported from most parts of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and people had to use alternative sources for heating and cooking purposes.

However, the rainwas welcomed by the citizens as the dry weather had created health problems.

The Met Office said a westerly wave was affecting upper parts of the country and likely to persist till Monday morning.

Cold and dry weather is expected on Monday. Smog/fog is likely to intensify in plain areas of Punjab during morning/night hours. Light rain (snowfall over hills) is expected in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and its surrounding hilly areas.

Gujar Khan

Gujar Khan, Chakwal and Jhelum also received light rain. Wheat growers in the Barani areas were losing hopes for a bumper harvest due to no rain since the sowing of the wheat crop.

Raja Sohail Janjua, a farmer in Daultala, said the dry spell affected the growth of the crop but even the light rain would promise a sufficient growth.

Another wheat grower in Gujar Khan, Chaudhry Rab Nawaz, said: “Being in the Barani area, growth of our crops is completely dependent on the timely rains.”

Dr Asif Chohan, a medical practitioner in Daultala, said the current spell of rain if continued for some days would have a soothing impact on people’s health.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2021