ISLAMABAD, June 21: Like the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, birds and animals in the twin cities also looked weary and tired seeking all possible options to quench their thirst as mercury soared to 44 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

“It was like raining fire and with frequent electricity shutdowns water was not even cool enough by late afternoon,” said Binte Zehra, a resident of Shahzad Town.

Though the temperature goes much higher in many parts of the county, for the residents of the twin cities this seemed to be the upper limit. “After the bearable atmosphere in May, this heatwave makes me feel a fireball inside my body,” she added.

The Met Office had forecast temperature to reach 43 degrees Celsius on Thursday but the mercury climbed to 44 degrees.

However, the situation is a blessing for those in ice-cream, cold drinks and ice selling business.

“The first thing shopkeepers, mechanics and everybody do after opening their shops is get ice in their water coolers,” said one ice seller in Aabpara. But like most of the businessmen in the country, he was not contented with higher sales. “The sale is high but the profits have gone down as ice melts rapidly.”

The sale of traditional cold drinks is booming and all kinds of customers can be seen seeking sherbet made from plum sap and Isabghol (psyllium) seeds at Committee Chowk in Rawalpindi.

Similar rush of people coming on foot, motorcycles and cars could also be seen for tamarind and dry plum sherbet at Banni Chowk.

As the ongoing heatwave is likely to persist for another few days, these businesses would continue to witness high demand. The situation was no different in other parts of the country.

Weather remained mainly very hot and dry in most parts of the country, and light rain predicted for a few areas turned out to be 2mm in Lasbella, Balochistan, and traces in Kalat and Gilgit-Baltistan.  The maximum temperature in the country on Thursday was 49 degrees in Larkana, while Sibbi, Moenjodaro, Noorpur Thal, Bhakkar and Jacobabad recorded 48 degrees and Mianwali, Mangla, Risalpur and Dadu witnessed 47 degrees.—A Reporter