Rain havoc, as usual

MONSOON seasons have almost always had an element of unpredictability about the quantum of rainfall to expect, though with the rapid advances of science, meteorologists can now have a reasonably accurate idea of how the weather is likely to behave, and can issue warnings well before time. They have been talking of above normal rains in Kashmir and north Punjab and below normal rains in Sindh and Balochistan this year; and on balance the overall rainfall would have been 25 percent higher by the time autumn sets in. The downpour that parts of Punjab and Kashmir have received over the past few days brings home the point with poignant details. The loss of life alone, which the rains that at times fell like sheets of water caused across the province on Saturday, was 13; a larger number of people were injured. Reports of roofs collapsing and rising water in the streets and entering the houses have appeared. Vast chunks of areas stood, and are still standing, marooned on account of the malfunctioning of the sewerage system or simply the absence of any outlet for water, compelling the people to remain confined to their homes. Vehicles broke down trying to traverse the roads that appeared to be in flood.