ISLAMABAD: After days of intense heat in the twin cities, citizens got the much-needed relief from rain early Monday morning.

The showers also helped douse out the fire which had been breaking out at various spots on Margalla Hills during the last several days, leaving the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) environment wing in a fix.

However, some CDA officials were of the view that these fires were helpful for maintaining the environment of the Margalla Hills.

“These hills do not have forests or large number of trees; there are only wild undergrowth and shrubs,” said a senior official of the environment wing, adding that, “fires destroy thorny bushes which disturb the wildlife and support growth of grass on which the animals graze.”

Meanwhile, the rain helped bring down mercury level. The day saw a maximum temperature of 38 degrees but that too for a brief period. By evening, the temperature had dropped to 32 degrees celsius. That was quite a relief compared to 42 degrees celsius on Sunday noon.

According to the Met Office, the current weather would continue up till Tuesday night, with light rains in some parts of northern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the twin cities.

It further added that due to the hot weather, the onset of monsoon is expected during the second half of June.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2016