March, 23 2005	Wednesday	12 Safar 1426

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LAHORE, March 22: The westerly system that gave a heavy rain in Lahore and elsewhere in Punjab, NWFP and the Northern Areas for two days, almost moved out on Tuesday. But the Met office expected more rain from March 25 onwards due to another approaching system. Lahore received only a drizzle in the morning and Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin light rain. And the Met office expected rain only in Rawalpindi and Gujranwala divisions during the next 24 hours.

The country has had received above normal rain during the current month which Chief Meteorologist Shaukat Awan said was focussed also over the drought prone areas of southern Punjab and Balochistan. “Despite the ravages the rain wrought in these areas, it has had left a positive impact on them with regard to flora and fauna, water resources and environment,” he said.

He said the NWFP and the Northern Areas too had above normal rain and snowfall from January to March which had not only increased the water level in dams but would also provide adequate supplies from April to June because of melting of snow during this period.

“We have water now, and would even have a lot of it in the next winter. We had very less rain in the monsoon and this rain has saved the country from loadshedding besides feeding our crops,” Mr Awan said. He said the rain in Pakistan had nothing to do with tsunami. The rain had been generated by westerly systems which move around the globe with the rotation of earth. It comprised upper air and on ground pressure system which are dynamic in nature, he said.