LAHORE, Aug 4: Most of the cities in the country saw after many years above normal rainfall in July.
While Sindh and Balochistan were hit by extraordinary spells of downpour in the latter part of the month caused by a lone monsoon depression that travelled to Pakistan from India, resulting in widespread damage to life and property.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department had predicted in June normal rains during the current monsoon season. It expected an average of 137.5mm of rainfall in every area of the country in the season, which lasts till Sept 30.
During the past three monsoon seasons, the country received below normal rains. However, rains and heavy snowfall over the hills last summer compensated for the monsoon deficiency.
According to data gleaned by Dawn from July 1 to 31, Bahawalnagar received 112mm of rain, Islamabad 398mm, Khanpur 82mm, Lahore (city) 252mm and Sialkot 580mm against their normal rainfall of 81.2mm, 267mm, 27.5mm, 202.1mm and 292.9mm, respectively.
Bahawalpur received 52mm of rain, Faisalabad 47mm, Islamabad (airport) 265mm, Jhelum 225mm, Lahore (airport) 108mm, Multan 35mm, Murree 178mm, Sargodha 103mm, Mianwali 111mm, Rahwali 49mm, Shorkot 180mm, Dera Ghazi Khan 58mm and Jhang received 69mm of rain. The average rainfall in Bahawalpur is 52.6mm, Faisalabad 115mm, Islamabad (airport) 267mm, Jhelum 237.3mm, Lahore (airport) 217.8mm, Multan 61.3mm and Murree 339.9mm.
Seven cities in Sindh received above normal rainfall. They are Badin (301mm), Chhor (404mm), Hyderabad (213mm), Jacobabad (109mm), Karachi airport (288mm), Nawabshah (292mm) and Larkana received 222mm of rain. Normal rainfall at these places is 70.5mm, 79mm, 56.7mm, 36.8mm, 85.5mm, 51.8mm and 25.7mm, respectively.
As many as nine Balochistan cities received above normal rain. The data says Dalbadin received 86mm of rain, Jiwani 15mm, Kalat 46mm, Lasbela 169mm, Panjgur 45mm, Pasni 28mm, Quetta 43mm, Sibbi 61mm and Zhob 59mm rain. Their average rainfall is 3.9mm, 7.7m, 12.4mm, 44.7mm, 25mm, 5.9mm, 12.7mm, 35.6mm and 48.5mm, respectively.
In the four NWFP cities, above normal rain is reported. Kakul received 281mm of rain, Peshawar 155mm, Risalpur 174mm and Kamra 150mm. This was against their normal rainfall of 258mm, 42.3mm and 146mm, respectively.
Balakot also received 221mm of rain, Dera Ismail Khan 44mm, Parachinar 41mm, Saidu Sharif 67mm and Kohat 70mm of rain. In Azad Kashmir, Kotli received 236mm of rainfall against its average of 325mm while Muzaffarabad received 236mm of rain as against its average of 327.6mm.