LAHORE, June 29: The weather system which caused torrential rains in Punjab, NWFP and Northern Areas has weakened and the deep monsoon depression moving towards Sindh and Balochistan is losing its speed but gaining in capacity to generate rain and there is likelihood of heavy rains between July 3 and 6.

The National Flood Forecasting Division had on Thursday said the depression would cause heavy rains over the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan from July 1 to 3, but on Friday it said that because of the slower speed it would now affect the two provinces from July 3 to 6. The depression “has intensified into cyclone like the one that played havoc in the provinces a few days ago”, meteorological department’s deputy director Salman Latif told Dawn.

He said the depression had moved from the Bay of Bengal to the Indian state of Orrisa and might move towards the south of Rajasthan. From there it would reach the Arabian Sea in three to five days and might hit the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan, including Badin, Thatta and Karachi, between July 3 and 6.

Since the area of influence of the system was wide, it would also cause rain in southern Punjab and up to Lahore. The rain in Sindh and Balochistan was likely to be accompanied by strong winds, Mr Salman said.

He said that although the system over Punjab, NWFP and Northern Areas had weakened there were still chances of more rain. There will be a temporary break and in Punjab there will be more rain from July 3.

“A cloud cell, meanwhile, developed over southern Punjab at around 3pm and caused heavy rain over Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Khanpur and Lodhran.” The NFFD reported widespread heavy rain in most parts of Punjab, NWFP and Northern Areas, and landslides, swelling of small rivers and drains and urban flooding.

By 3pm, 55mm of rain had been at the Lahore airport and 81mm at the Jail Road observatory.

Islamabad received 73mm of rain over 24 hours, Jhelum 75mm, Kamra (Attock) 122mm, Sialkot 98mm, Mandi Bahaudin 82mm, Multan 45mm, Sahiwal 43mm, Mianwali 46mm, Murree 43mm, Sargodha 225mm, Sialkot 53mm, Rawlakot 64mm, Balakot 28mm, Bannu 79mm, Kohat 52mm, Pattan 71mm, Peshawar 73mm, Risalpur 49mm and Saidu Sharif 105mm, Malam Jabba 31mm and Bahawalpur 27mm.