PESHAWAR, Jan 29: Rain lashed the provincial metropolis and other parts of the NWFP on Wednesday morning, ending the long dry spell that had gripped the region, bringing a pleasant change in the weather.

Local Met office recorded six millimetres of rainfall till evening. It had been drizzling from 8am and continued at intervals till the time this report was filed.

The rain has brought the mercury down to 11C and the weather has become chilly.

According to the Met office, the rainfall is expected to continue until Thursday evening.

Doctors told Dawn that the recent spell of rain had brought relief to the patients, especially those suffering from bronchial asthma and now they would feel better.

The number of patients, the doctor added, had registered an increase, because of the prevalence of dust in the air. Not only adults, but also the children, had been suffering a great deal due to the unrelenting dry spell, which caused them chest problems.

Similarly, the working people, who were exposed to polluted air, would get advantage of the rain and would feel comfortable in the clean weather.

The provincial capital and its surrounding areas’ atmosphere was a source of throat infection. It rained in the last week of December as well, but had brought no change in the weather.

According to the Met office reports, it also rained in Kohat, Thall, Hangu, Mardan, Nowshehra heavily. The northern areas, Chitral and Parachinar and other highlands of the province and tribal areas also received rain and heavy snowfall.