Continuous rain was witnessed in the city from Thursday night until Friday evening. Weather experts claimed that the monsoon season was active but this spell would hopefully be one of the last spells of this season, as no major system was predicted in the near future. Citizens also hoped for the end of monsoon, which was not only creating problems by submerging roads but also contributing to growth of the dengue epidemic.
The Met Office predicted scattered rain with thundershower in Upper Punjab, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Eastern Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) today (Saturday). According to the Met Office, under influence of the westerly wave and active monsoon currents, the monsoon system intensified on Thursday night, which led to widespread rain with moderate to heavy showers in Upper Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJK during the last 36 hours.
During the period, some heavy showers also hit the areas of Ravi and Chenab. According to the Met Office, 45 millimeters of rain was recorded in Lahore on Friday, 163 in Islamabad, 93 in Rawalakot and 80 millimeters of rain was recorded in Faisalabad. Met Office Director General Arif Mehmood said that the department could not say that when the monsoon season will end but no strong system was developing in the near future.
Separately, the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) also postponed its dengue awareness walk due to heavy rainfall in the city. According to the latest meteorological conditions, River Chenab at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad was likely to attain medium to high flood-level during the period from 8pm of September 16 to 4pm of September 17. The low-lying areas upstream Marala particularly in Bajwat Sector and downstream Marala might be inundated.
Continuous rain also submerged main roads of the city causing traffic jams at various important roads. Standing water not only warned commuters but also left fear of breeding of dengue mosquitoes.
