ISLAMABAD, July 21: Islamabad and Rawalpindi are expected to receive more rain over the next 24 hours and the weather in twin cities is expected to remain partly cloudy as the prevailing ‘system’ continues to drift down the country.

Most parts of the Punjab and Balochistan right upto Quetta were in grip of a wet spell in which Sialkot received 101mm and Mangla 102mm of rain, which was still continuing intermittently.

After the last night’s downpour in which the federal capital received 79mm of rain and Rawalpindi 56mm, the humidity level soared to 90 per cent amidst thickly overcast conditions.

The rain stopped at around 10am on Monday but thick grey clouds continued to hung low on the Margallas, providing an excellent opportunity to people to drive upto Daman-i-Koh or Pir Sohawa to enjoy the nature drapped in moisture-ladden clouds.

The clouds came swirling down the slopes of the Margallas, blocking the view from the foothills and then lifted slowly, leaving a misty feeling behind. The conditions were inviting and those with the means to go up found it too tempting and a frequent flow of traffic was noticed on the road leading upto Pir Sohawa tops on the Margallas.

With the humidity touching the highs, there are more chances of rain over the next 24 hours, and the drizzle is likely to start sometime after mid-night which is expected to continue intermittently into the morning, some times touching the moderate levels. In the later part of the day, the clouds are likely to rise and scatter, making the day brighter. While it may be one of those beautiful days which enchant and enthral nature lovers, it did brought the pain and miseries for a large number of people in the twin cities as well.

A prolonged spell of power breakdown prompted by rain and moderate winds made the lives of people in many parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi miserable.

It was too hot and humid inside without fans and it was impossible to stay out in the open because of rain or other conditions and for a large part of the population it was a miserable night on Saturday night.

The stormy downpour even prompted the authorities concerned in twin cities to start thinking about raising an alarm to prevent a possible disaster in case the rain continued to lash down, as it started. However, it abated and the level in natural streams, brooks gushing down from Margallas to meet Nullah Leh in Rawalpindi started falling before a decision to declare the aller could be reached.

However, uprooted trees which blocked highways and roads, and the chocked storm water drains caused enough problems for the motorists and commuters who got stuck or stranded at many a places in the twin cities.

The Met office sources told Dawn the widespread rain and thunderous showers are expected to hit most parts of the country over the next 24 hours.

Tahir Khan, the assistant meteorologist in the Islamabad Met office said while isolated heavy rainfalls are being expected in some areas of the Punjab, there are also chances of scattered thunder showers in NWFP, upper Sindh, north-east of Balochistan and in Kashmir.