After the recent heavy bombing of oil facilities in Iran, unusual pollution has arisen in the atmosphere, while concerns are being expressed in other countries in the region regarding possible weather effects.
According to experts, this situation may lead to the possibility of polluted particles reaching some areas of Pakistan through westerly winds. The Meteorological Department says that westerly winds coming from Iran will enter Pakistan in the next few days, which may also carry polluted particles in the air.
However, the organization has clarified that there is no possibility of “black rain” in Pakistan. As a precautionary measure, the Meteorological Department has directed its regional offices to collect samples of rain if it does occur and send them to the laboratory for analysis.
It may be recalled that during the ongoing attacks on Iran, reports of severe air pollution emerged in Tehran after Israel and the United States targeted oil installations. According to some reports, black clouds covered the sky, and oil particles were seen mixed in the rainwater, which has raised environmental concerns at the local level.
In view of this situation, discussions are also underway in neighbouring countries about the possible effects. On the other hand, the Meteorological Department has said about today’s weather conditions that Islamabad and its surroundings are expected to be partly cloudy with rain, while hail has also been reported in some places.
Torrential rain may occur in some places in the upper areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, and Shangla, while heavy rain has been predicted in some places in Battagram, Buner, Malakand, Mansehra, and Abbottabad.
According to the Meteorological Department, rain is also expected in Khyber, Mohmand, Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan, and Charsadda, while thunderstorms are likely in Nowshera, Bannu, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, and Hangu. Hail may also occur in some places in these areas.
In Punjab, rain and hail have been predicted in Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Mianwali, and Jhelum. Cloudy weather with rain and hail is also expected in Murree and Galiyat areas, while the weather is predicted to be mostly dry in other districts of the province. The weather is likely to remain dry in most parts of Sindh today, while dry weather is also expected in most districts of Balochistan. However, rain with strong winds and thunderstorms is possible in Zhob, Qila Abdullah, and Pishin.
