Severe storm, rainfall hit Islamabad and surrounding areas

A powerful thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall struck Islamabad on Tuesday evening, causing widespread disruption across the capital. The storm led to waterlogging in several low-lying areas and uprooted trees at multiple locations.

The weather system, which began developing in the late afternoon, quickly darkened skies over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock, and surrounding regions. Strong winds soon followed, ushering in intense downpours that overwhelmed drainage systems in parts of the city.

In response to the severe weather, authorities declared a rain emergency in Rawalpindi after the twin cities experienced a combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and a massive hailstorm.

This development came just a day after the National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued an impact-based weather alert. The advisory warned of isolated rain showers, thunderstorms, windstorms, and dust storms expected over the next 12 to 36 hours across various parts of Punjab, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the NEOC alert, the affected areas in Punjab and Islamabad may include Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mianwali, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore, Narowal, and nearby regions.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, similar weather conditions are forecast for multiple districts, including Chitral, Battagram, Kohistan, Kohat, Kurram, Bannu, Mardan, Peshawar, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Mohmand, and surrounding areas.