A sigh of relief for residents of the provincial capital Lahore who were greeted with surprise on Tuesday as rain gave much-needed reprieve.

Parts of Lahore including Mall Road, Gulberg, Defence, Model Town, and Ferozepur Road received light to moderate showers on Tuesday noon with an end of the dry spell in the city as Met Office forecast more rain with occasional gaps.

Tuesday’s rain was the first shower in Lahore as there was no precipitation in the city during the last 2.5 months, and the city remained engulfed in smog. The alarming situation pushed authorities to close schools, markets and even business hours.

The much-needed rain brought relief by washing away lingering pollutants that plagued Lahore residents for months. Amid the rain, people seem confused while discussing whether the sudden change of weather was the result of artificial rain or real showers.

The rain with the prior forecast comes as the government was forced to take stern measures contemplating the prospect of cloud-seed rain to curb the worsening pollution.