BAHAWALPUR: The intermittent rain, the first of the ongoing monsoon season which continued throughout on Tuesday in the city and other parts of the district, brought down temperatures and humidity and also inundated katchi abadis, slums and vegetable and cattle markets in Bahawalapur, Ahmedpur East, Hasilpur and Yazman.

The cattle market at Chowk Azam and sabzi mandis due to rain were littered with mud and garbage.

Cattle owners sought refuge under tents, most of which also collapsed. A number of localities remained without power as according to a Multan Electric Power Company official, over 100 power feeders in the district tripped casing a great deal of inconvenience to the power consumers.Later, the power was restored in many areas.

The rainwater inundated Circular Road and railway underpass on Yazman Road creating hindrances in the smooth flow of heavy and light traffic on the road.

The people of katchi abadis also faced trouble due to accumulation of water in their localities. The metropolitan corporation deployed dewatering sets to pump out the rainwater from busy roads.

DEATH OF COWS: Five Cholistani cows have reportedly died from thirst in the desert a few days ago.

It is feared the five cows strayed from their herd and subsequently died of thirst.

District Forest Officer Ijaz Tabbasum of Cholistan Range Management said his block officer posted in Cholistan confirmed the death of five cows due to unavailability of drinking water around Wazirwala Toba in the jurisdiction of greater Cholistan.

He said as most of the tobas (open ponds) were dried up due to dry spell in the vast desert, the scarcity of drinking water in several areas was being experienced by both humans and their livestock. However, Mr Tabbasum said some areas of Cholistan received scattered light showers recently but it did not fill up ponds.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2020