Plain areas of the country remained under the grip of severe heat wave conditions for the fifth day running on Wednesday Meteorological department said. In its forecast for Thursday (today) Met office said that mainly hot and dry weather with dust raising winds in plain areas is expected over most parts of the country. However, a few thunderstorm/rain is likely to occur over Kashmir. There would be little change in this weather outlook for next two days, it added.
The current severe heat wave had started in southern parts of Sindh and Balochistan and in the plains of Punjab last Saturday. The Day temperatures have increased by 5 - 7 0C in most of the plain areas. Highest day temperatures touched 49 - 46 C in some parts of southern Punjab, Upper Sindh and Eastern Balochistan.
In Lahore the day temperature jumped to 46.2 degree Celsius, as citizens reeled under the scorching sun boosting business of ice cream vendors, cold drinks, local beverages and milk shakes. 10 to 12 hours loadshedding due to 6,000 MW electricity shortfall in the demand and supply and consequently suspension of water supply in the metropolis and other cities of the country added miseries to the life of the people. The only silver lining in this otherwise bleak scenario is that hot and dry weather in northern areas has accelerated snow-melt during past 5-6 days to meet country's irrigation water needs at this critical sowing time of Kharif crops.
According to 18th May rivers flows and reservoirs level report of Water and Power Development Authority the four live rivers' flows have increased by 44,000 cusecs water in day. There was 20,000 cusecs increase in the water flow of Indus river at Tarbela, 6,000 cusecs in river Kabul at Nowshera, 6,000 cusecs in river Jhelum at Mangla and 12,000 cusecs in river Chenab at Marala. In all 3,14,000 cusecs water is flowing in the four rivers, Indus 1,22,800 cusecs, Kabul 61,500 cusecs, Jhelum at Mangla 74,700 cusecs and Chenab at Marala 57900 cusecs.