PESHAWAR, Nov 1: Peshawar city and its suburb received the first rainfall of winter, accompanied by a hailstorm, on Thursday morning, bringing about a pleasant change in the weather.

The rain caused power breakdowns, traffic jams and minor road accidents in different parts of the city. The weather was cloudy till the filing of this report.

According to the local Met Office,the city and its surrounding areas received 11mm rain, which started at 5.10am and continued till 7.15am intermittently. The hailstorm damaged vegetable and flower plants.

Local farmers said the rain would have a positive impact on the upcoming wheat sowing.

The Met Office, however, declined to give details of the weather.

An official of the Pakistan Air Force weather observatory told Dawn: “ We have received instructions not to release weather forecast to newspapers”, adding that information could be provided only to PTV and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.

Low-lying residential areas of the city were inundated and the rainwater entered several houses as sewers were chocked with waste, specially plastic bags.

The rain caused fresh misery to Afghan refugees living in plastic-sheet tents in camps.

Power supply remained disrupted for more than three hours in various parts of the city, including cantonment and University Town. A Peshawar Electric Supply Company spokesman said that power supply to the entire city was restored by 9.30am.