Spain  –  The Moon first blotted out the Sun at the northernmost tip of mainland Russia at about 1900 CET, leaving only the shimmering glow of its outer corona and eerie darkness. As it passes down through parts of Greenland and Iceland, excitement built in Spain, where the eclipse’s narrow path cuts diagonally from the northwestern Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean Sea, before being expected to fade at about 2030 CET. Millions of people gathered in Iceland and northern Spain to witness Europe’s first total solar eclipse in 27 years on Wednesday, with Spanish officials warning people to avoid areas where a heatwave has raised the risk of wildfires. Major viewing locations in parts of Iceland, northern Spain and a small corner of northeastern Portugal will be in the path of totality, when the skies go momentarily dark as the sun completely disappears from view — creating a rare sunset eclipse for some, especially observers in Spain. Tourists and enthusiasts thronged normally quiet Spanish villages, as mainland Europe has not experienced a total solar eclipse for 20 years while Spain has not witnessed one in more than a century. Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, however, has not seen a total solar eclipse since 1433. Dylan Vaughan-Streater, from east London, drew in a small crowd when he went out to see the solar eclipse. He tells me: “I made the pinhole camera in about 10 minutes out of a poster tube, tin foil, baking paper and a cardboard box. It was the first time I made one of these!” “I have loved science ever since I was a kid, and it’s why I became a science teacher,” he adds. “I wanted to see the solar eclipse as it is a once in a generational thing.” “It’s the first time and it’s the last time, the only time I’m going to see an eclipse,” Yenny Guevera, a 50-year-old Peruvian living in France, said in northwest Spain. “I like painting and I really like light,” said Mercedes Bua, a 51-year-old engineer awaiting the eclipse’s passage in a park in Colmenar Viejo, some 30 kilometres north of Madrid.

 “So I find it interesting to see how it’s going to look.” Supplies of special viewing glasses were in high demand as a partial eclipse will be visible for millions more in most of Europe, Canada, the northern United States and northwest Africa. However, a total eclipse of the Sun is expected to only be visible in a handful of places.

JHELUM – Residents of several villages have urged the Punjab government to take immediate measures to rectify faulty drainage arrangements along the Lillah-Jhelum Dual Carriageway and address connectivity problems caused by the Jalalpur Irrigation Project (JIP) canal.

Residents of Dilawar village said their houses were flooded with mud and rainwater flowing down the surrounding hills during recent rains. They expressed fears that another spell of heavy rainfall could lead to flash floods entering their homes.

Local resident Malik Sajjad said villagers had repeatedly warned the authorities about the potential threat before the monsoon, but their concerns were allegedly ignored. He said engineers later inspected a culvert along the road, where inadequate space for the passage of floodwater had resulted in inundation of nearby houses.

He said the road and culvert required structural modifications to ensure the smooth discharge of rain and floodwater and prevent a recurrence of the problem.

An official associated with the project said a detailed report had been submitted to senior officials of the Punjab Highways Department, seeking corrective measures.

Meanwhile, residents of Kullewal, Ara Buland and adjoining areas complained that the Jalalpur-Khushab Canal had disrupted their access to agricultural fields, graveyards and grazing grounds. They said the absence of mini-bridges had created serious difficulties for local people, particularly farmers.

Jalalpur Irrigation Project Director Waheed Ashraf said he had recently visited the affected locations along with a team of the Asian Development Bank. He said several possible solutions were currently being examined in consultation with the ADB.