KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Division (PMD) on Monday cautioned that the air pollution ensuing from the current US-Israeli assaults on Iran’s oil websites might worsen air high quality in western elements of the nation.
“On account of [the] current state of affairs in Iran, the winds could carry pollution and deteriorate air high quality within the western elements of the nation,” learn a press launch issued by the PMD.
Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbor, has been embroiled in a warfare with the US and Israel because the latter’s February 28 strikes that assassinated its supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Main airstrikes on Tehran’s refineries and gasoline depots on March 7 plunged the Iranian capital right into a poisonous gloom as black, oily rain fell on Sunday.
In Tehran, the solar was blotted out by thick black smoke billowing from oil amenities that continued to smolder.
CNN Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen described the scene at Tehran’s Shahran oil depot as “apocalyptic”. adding that “respiration the air feels fairly poisonous”.
The Iranian Pink Crescent Society warned civilians of extreme well being dangers, cautioning that the “important portions of poisonous hydrocarbons, sulfur and nitrogen oxides” launched might trigger chemical burns and lung harm.
Additional strikes by the US and Israel hit 5 oil amenities in and close to Tehran, in response to an official with the Nationwide Iranian Oil Merchandise Distribution Firm.
Showers expected in upper parts
In its press release, the PMD predicted that rain and thunderstorms were likely in the upper parts of the country under the influence of a westerly wave that was to approach on Monday evening and persist until March 12.
The PMD said “partly cloudy to cloudy weather conditions with chances of moderate rain-wind-thunderstorm (few heavy falls at times)” were expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir, Kohistan, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur.
It predicted the same for Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) from Monday evening to March 12.
On March 10 and 11, “light rain-wind/thunderstorm” was likely in Khyber, Mohmand, Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Bajaur, Bannu, Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu and Mianwali.
According to PMD, “rain-wind/thunderstorm” was expected in Islamabad, the Potohar region, Murree, Galliyat and surroundings from Monday night to March 11 with occasional gaps.
“Hailstorm at isolated places is also likely in Islamabad and upper parts of the country during the forecast period,” the statement added.
Listing the possible impacts, the Met Office said daytime temperatures were expected to decrease by three to four degrees Celsius in the country’s upper parts.
It warned that landslides may occur in vulnerable areas of upper KP, GB and AJK during the period. The PMD advised tourists to avoid unnecessary traveling and urged farmers to manage their crops according to the prevailing weather.
