With weather turning pleasant after widespread rains in various parts of the country, Pakistan Meteorological Department Director General Arif Mehmood said on Wednesday that monsoon currents are penetrating into upper parts of Pakistan. Talking to PTV, he said the ongoing rain spell would continue until Thursday except for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan where hot weather would continue to persist. In most parts of the country, weather during the last 24 hours remained hot and humid. However, isolated thundershower/rains occurred in Malakand, Hazara, Bannu, Kohat, Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Replying to a question, he said more rains were needed in Lahore, Gujranwala and Sahiwal divisions, where large area is covered with rice crop that needs water at this time. Replying to another question, he said there was not enough water in the rivers, as the country’s two major reservoirs Mangla and Tarbela lack sufficient water storage facility. He said that humid weather would continue in August and September, and rainfall was expected in few areas of the country. The amount of rain recorded during the last 24 hours is: Pattan, 29mm; Muzaffarabad, 27mm; Bannu, 23mm; Lahore (A/P), 20mm; Rawalpindi (Chaklala), 15mm; Islamabad (Bokra), 13mm; Islamabad (ZP) and Kohat, 10mm, Kotli, 9mm; Islamabad (Golra) and Rawalpindi (Shamsabad), 8mm; Drosh, 7mm; Parachinar and Rawalakot, 5mm; Astore, Garidupatta and Mirkhani, 4 mm.
