KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday cautioned that the pollution resulting from the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil sites could worsen air quality in western parts of the country.
“Due to [the] recent situation in Iran, the winds may carry pollutants and deteriorate air quality in the western parts of the country,” read a press release issued by the PMD.
Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour, has been embroiled in a war with the United States and Israel since the latter’s February 28 strikes that assassinated its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Major airstrikes on Tehran’s refineries and fuel depots on March 7 plunged the Iranian capital into a toxic gloom as black, oily rain fell on Sunday.
In Tehran, the sun was blotted out by thick black smoke billowing from oil facilities that continued to smoulder.
CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen described the scene at Tehran’s Shahran oil depot as “apocalyptic”, adding that “breathing the air feels quite toxic”.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society warned civilians of severe health risks, cautioning that the “significant quantities of toxic hydrocarbons, sulfur and nitrogen oxides” released could cause chemical burns and lung damage.
Further strikes by the US and Israel hit five oil facilities in and near Tehran, according to an official with the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company.
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 travelling and urged farmers to manage their crops according to the prevailing weather.
