ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: As the monsoon season ends Saturday, the three main reservoirs supplying water to the twin cities could not reach the maximum level due to low rains and experts fear that this reservoir would not reach their maximum level even in the next coming ten months.
The change of weather can be observed after September 15, and with the reduction in the heat — generated from sunshine — the fast moving monsoon winds stop arriving from the Bay of Bengal, as a result, the widespread rains and thunderstorms also stop. However, the last remnant system is in effect in the country and scattered rain-thundershowers are expected in Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
“Monsoon currents are penetrating upper parts of the country, while a westerly wave also affecting upper parts of the country and likely to persist for next 2 to 3days,” said Dr Muhammad Hanif, director at Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), “But this is the last of monsoon rains.”
The met office predicts that apart from the rains at scattered places, hot and humid weather is expected elsewhere in the country.
Pakistan faced lower than normal rainfall in the monsoon season this year due to the El-Nino effect; as a result the water reservoirs across the country have not been filled to capacity.
Same is the case with three local water reservoirs and despite the blue grey looks of fresh water at Rawal Lake, Khanpur Lake and Simly Lake; the level is far less than the upper limit, and their spillways have not been operational even for one time this season.
The five year data of Rawal Lake shows that except for the year 2012, the water level had reached its maximum level of 1,752 feet, whereas the official data highlights on September 15 the water level remained at 1,740 feet only, the dead level at Rawal Lake is 1,708 feet.
Similarly, the water level at Simly Lake had been at around 2,312 feet on September 15 during 2010 and 2011 but it was far less than the maximum level of 2,315 feet on September 15, 2012 at 2,288 feet.
While, the conditions are bleak at the Khanpur Lake, as the water level was above 1,980 feet on September 15, during the past two years at the Lake, whereas the current level was 1,939 feet against the maxim limit of 1,982 feet.
The officials say that it is less likely that the reservoir would be filed before the next monsoon season, which would start in July 2013.
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