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Severe Hailstorms and Flash Floods Strike Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Severe hailstorms, flash floods, and power outages hit Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Flash floods claim lives in Diamer, while storms disrupt traffic and damage vehicles.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-16
Severe Hailstorms and Flash Floods Strike Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

A powerful hailstorm hit the capital city of Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, leading to widespread damage to vehicles, windscreens, solar panels, and infrastructure. The storm, accompanied by intense rainfall and strong winds, also triggered flash floods in some regions.

In Islamabad, the storm lasted about 35 minutes in the afternoon, with large hailstones smashing car windscreens, damaging trees, and causing significant property destruction. Trees were uprooted, especially in the Tarnol area, which caused traffic disruptions across the city. The storm caught many off guard, with children in parks fleeing the area in panic.

The storm brought a sudden break in the heatwave that had gripped the city, cooling the atmosphere and making the weather more pleasant. However, power outages were reported in several areas, with efforts underway to restore electricity.

PPP Senator and former climate change minister, Sherry Rehman, described the storm as “insane” on social media, emphasizing that the extreme weather was driven by climate change.

“This is extreme weather volatility driven by climate change, where anomalies proliferate. Not a random natural event,” she wrote.
She highlighted the connection between the storms and human actions, particularly rising emissions from the use of dirty energy.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued a statement assuring the public that authorities were well-prepared for the floods. The PDMA Director General, Asfandyar Khattak, said that reports had been sought from deputy commissioners in districts like Landikotal and Mardan, with the goal of assessing damage and providing immediate relief. The Emergency Response Centre remained operational around the clock, and citizens were encouraged to call 1700 for emergencies.

Sadly, the storms and floods led to tragic consequences. According to Diamer police spokesperson Raja Ashfaq, two children were swept away by flash floods in Chilas. One child tragically passed away during transport to the hospital, while the other was sent to Islamabad for further treatment.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had earlier warned that the region would experience thunderstorms, strong winds, and rain through April 20, with similar conditions expected in Rawalpindi and other cities across northern Pakistan.

This event serves as a stark reminder of the growing frequency of extreme weather conditions, exacerbated by global climate change.

 
Tagged:

ClimateChange

PakistanWeather

Hailstorm

FlashFloods
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