RAWALPINDI: Rain varying with the intensity of light to heavy added chill to the air in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Sunday.

The Met Office predicted more rain and snowfall in upper parts of the country.

The showers lashed the twin cities in the morning and continued till night with small breaks.

The rain affected the supply of natural gas in some parts of the garrison city. The low pressure of natural gas was reported from different parts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

In Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) dug up many roads in the city areas that created a slushy mess in the downtown area. In Cantonment areas, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) also dug up roads in Saddar to lay underground electricity wires.

Roads in Saddar, including Haider Road, Adam Jee and Bank Road, were dug up due to which visitors faced problems.

The Met Office recorded 3mm rain at Chaklala, one mm at Shamsabad in Rawalpindi and 2mm rain at Zero Point in Islamabad.

According to the Met Official, a westerly wave is affecting upper parts of the country and likely to strengthen during the next 12 hours.

Heavy rain-wind/thunderstorm with snow may cause closure of roads in Murree, Galiyat, Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Astore, Hunza, Diamer, Skardu, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch and Havellian till February 20.

There is also the possibility of landslides in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Cloudy weather with rain wind-thunderstorm is expected in Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, KP, Potohar region, Islamabad, Punjab and northern Balochistan.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024