LAHORE, June 9: The extremely hot and dry weather that is badly affecting life in the plains has its positive aspect too -- it is fast melting snow, sending in much needed water to the dams, and ripening fruits.

The Met office expected some relief on around June 13 because of the arrival of a westerly wave that could generate some rain over the upper parts of the country and northern cities of Punjab. On Sunday, people in the plain areas continued to reel under the killing high temperatures amidst repeated power loadshedding and scarce tap water.

Lahore’s maximum temperature was 45.4 degrees C with 44 per cent humidity in the morning and 33 per cent in the evening.

The sun was blazing throughout the day and there was no place to hide. Exposure to the sun was energy sapping while indoors were hot like ovens in the absence of electricity. Tap water was missing in many localities, adding to the miseries of the people.

Again a large number of people including women and children thronged the city canal to get some relief against the weather.

The hottest place in the country was Dadu with a maximum temperature of 49.8 degrees C. It was followed by 49 degrees C in Noorpur Thal.

The maximum temperature over the upper parts of the country too shot up. It was 43.5 degrees in Lower Dir, 43 degrees C in Garhi Dupatta, 42 degrees C in Chillas, 44 degrees C in Pattan and 42.8 degrees C in Muzaffarabad.

The Met office said that the high temperatures were fast melting snow and glaciers over the hills, sending in much needed water especially to Tarbela Dam where the inflow was 185,700 cusecs. The level of the dam was 1,432ft.

The inflow of Mangla was 60,831 cusecs and its level 1149.45ft.

Chief Meteorologist Riaz Khan said the high temperatures were beneficial so far as the feeding of the water reservoirs was concerned. They would get more water till middle of the month because of the continuous snow melting.

He said a westerly was expected to arrive by June 13. It was likely to generate some rain over the hills and northern Punjab.

Temperatures would drop to some degrees in the plain areas due to the expected rain, providing some relief to people, he said.