Pindi declares rain emergency amid severe weather conditions

Widespread rain and hailstorms hit upper Pakistan and several cities in Punjab on Saturday, providing relief from a severe heatwave but causing disruptions and damage.

In Islamabad, heavy rain and hail led to the collapse of a canteen roof at Quaid-e-Azam University. Nearby Rawalpindi declared a rain emergency, mobilizing teams to manage flood risks. Power outages and damage to windows and solar panels were reported due to strong winds and large hailstones.

The storm also affected Punjab cities including Gujrat, Daska, Wazirabad, and Gujranwala, where high winds caused power outages, uprooted trees, and damaged billboards and vehicles. Attock faced similar damage, with fallen trees causing significant financial losses, though no casualties were reported.

Northern areas such as Swat, Mingora, Haripur, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Muzaffarabad also experienced heavy rain, hail, and flash floods.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department warns of more thundershowers and hailstorms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and central and southern Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan.