Daily Times

LAHORE: Lahore’s soaring temperature brought the youth of the city to the canal for beating the heat and take respite from the harsh weather on Sunday.

Some families even resorted to camping near the canal, where it was easy for their children to take a dip every now and then.

Resultantly, the traffic flow remained disturbed on the canal road owing to the rush of citizens and the vehicles parked wrongly off the main canal road. Traffic wardens also remained absent from their duties, busy in taking shelter under the trees and in nearby shops.

It is pertinent to mention that it is strictly prohibited to swim in the canal. Signboards have been erected alongside the canal but they often go ignored.

In the past also, several teenagers and youngsters have lost their lives while swimming in the canal but the concerned departments have since failed to prepare a comprehensive strategy to keep people away from swimming in the canal. Several people have also received head injuries and other minor injuries by jumped from the edge of the bridge and on top of the trees which are erected on both sides of the canal.

A rush of citizens was also spotted in Muslim Town, New Campus, Lalpul, near Doctor’s Hospital, Jalo Mor, Fatehgarh, Dharampura, BRB and other points of the canal, which pass through the city. Citizen are avoiding driving during the daytime because of the skyrocketing temperatures. Those basking under the shade of the canal trees say the temperature has crossed 40 degrees, and also there is continuous loadshedding at their homes.

On Sunday, the maximum temperature of the city was recorded 42 degrees Celsius and the minimum was 25 degrees Celsius with 37 percent humidity.

The Pakistan Metrological Department has predicted that very hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country while Lahore’s temperature will touch 42 degrees Celsius today (Monday).

Published in Daily Times, June 4^th 2018.