By Muhammad Luqman
Contrary to Meteorological Department’s seasonal prediction of normal rains , Pakistan has received below normal downpour during the month of July.
According to data available with the department, the eastern city of Lahore received 149 millimetres of rains during the month against the normal of 191 millimtres. Other major urban centres of the Punjab province like Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Multan , Bahawalpur and Sargodha also received less spells of the monsoon rains. However, Jhelum, Khanpur, Kamra and Sialkot were the few cities of the Central Pakistan province of Punjab, receiving above normal rains.
The north-western province of Khyber Pakhtun Khawa also received less rains during the month of July, known for frequent rain spells. Barring Parachinar, Cherat, Risalpur and Peshawar Airport, rest of the province did not receive normal rains.
The situation in Kashmir and Gilgilt Baltistan , the situation was even worse with below normal rains across the region.
In Southern province of Sindh, above normal rains were recorded in coastal district of Badin and interior region of Chorr. Rest of the Sindh did not receive enough rains.
South-Western province of Balochistan with little irrigation network, also received below normal rains. Only Khuzdar is reported to have above normal rains during the month of July.
Weather pundits have predicted below normal rains during the months of August and September too.
