RAWALPINDI, June 12: Relentless heat and around seven hours long power outage in some areas of the twin cities tested the patience of the people to its limits here on Tuesday.

The season’s worst breakdown caused by a fault at the I-10 Grid Station disrupted routine life in numerous localities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including G-9, I-10, Saidpur Road, Sixth Road, Commercial Market, B and D blocks of Satellite Town and Khyaban-i-Sir Syed.

The power outage led to severe water shortage in these areas that augmented the sufferings of the people who found no respite from the sweltering heat.

“We have no water for past many hours as we cannot use the water pump,” said Ms Sajida, a resident of B-Block.

Residents of Shahzad Town in Islamabad also complained against severe water shortage that had worsened with the onset of hot weather.

The demand for ice soared as the people were left without cold water and had to look for it in other localities as local shops soon ran out of the product.

An Iesco official requesting not to be named said one of the bank capacitors connected to a 132KVA to 11KVA down transformer developed some fault.

He said the circuit was isolated and load shifted to restore power to the affected areas. According to him, the capacitor fault was not due to overload. The breakdown also affected numerous private medical centres located on and around Saidpur Road, multiplying the sufferings of patients who were left with little to do but to pray.

Operations at CNG filling stations were also affected causing severe financial loss to the proprietors.

Shopkeepers in Saidpur Road area and Commercial Market complained of low sales as very few buyers ventured out. The bakery owners also suffered losses as the frozen products perished. The entire country had been in the grip of a severe and lethal heatwave for the last couple of days.

Temperatures at many places were recorded at more than 40 degrees centigrade on the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday. Dozens of people were admitted to hospitals after they fainted while many died due to heatstroke.

The meteorological department has forecast hot and dry weather for the next two days with reports of thunderstorm and light rain in the federal capital and some other parts of the country on Wednesday night.

“Rain in northern parts of Punjab and Kashmir in next two days will break the current unusual heatwave,” Pakistan Meteorological Department Director-General Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry said. There were global predictions that year 2007 probably would be the hottest year on record, he added.

Last year, the heatwave claimed more than 80 lives, while the sizzling summer in 2003 killed more than 230 people.

Repeated power trippings in many cities due to shortage of electricity have increased the problems of the people who have already been suffering from scorching heat.

Thousands took to the streets in various parts of the country to protest against prolonged power cuts.—APP