ISLAMABAD: Severe weather swept across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several other parts of Pakistan on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rain, hailstorms, and powerful winds that caused widespread disruption.
The storm damaged infrastructure, triggered power outages, and left multiple people injured, with at least two fatalities reported.
In Rawalpindi, power supply to numerous neighborhoods was cut off as several electricity feeders tripped due to the storm. Areas affected included Sadiqabad, Fourth Road, Range Road Dhok, Zeeshan Colony, Kaliam, Chaklala, and Shamsabad. Islamabad faced similar disruptions, with outages reported in Pir Sohawa, G-8 Markaz, Bani Gala, and New Malpur. Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) teams are actively working to restore power, a spokesperson confirmed.
Tragedy struck Islamabad’s Sector G-12, where the roof of an under-construction house collapsed under the weight of rain and wind, killing two workers and injuring two others, according to the Islamabad Police. In Rawalpindi’s Dhok Khaba, a wall collapse at another construction site injured two individuals. All injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The storm also uprooted trees and dislodged metal roofing sheets across both cities. A tree fell on the premises of the Islamabad Police Headquarters, injuring a policeman. In Rawalpindi’s Saddar area, flying metal sheets damaged several vehicles and motorcycles.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) recorded 8mm of rainfall in Saidpur and Shamsabad, and 7mm in Golra.
The PMD has issued an alert for continued unstable weather, warning of further rain, hailstorms, and thunderstorms in the next 24 hours across upper Pakistan, including Murree, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Swat, Abbottabad, Peshawar, and Quetta.
