Record hailstorm hits Pakistan's capital, damages vehicles

Pakistan's capital Islamabad was battered by a severe hailstorm on Wednesday afternoon, shattering hundred of vehicle windscreens, damaging solar panels, and snapping tree branches.

In Islamabad, the storm lasted around 35 minutes, with strong winds and large hailstones hammering everything in their path. Several trees were uprooted, causing traffic disruptions in Islamabad.

The downpour also triggered flash flooding in some low-lying parts of the capital, straining the already overwhelmed drainage systems and catching commuters off guard.

The social media users criticised the federal government for failing to warn the people before the intense hailstorms lashed the capital.

One user, Shafek Koreshe wrote on his X account, "The @pmdgov failed to warn the people in #Islamabad about a freak #thunderstorm that caused havoc; smashing windscreens, sunroofs of hundreds of vehicles, severely damaging solar panels, shattering glass windows of homes and offices, besides damaging trees and structures."

Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said on his X account, "Tennis balls falling from the sky in Islamabad. Never seen anything like this before!"

Kamran wrote on X, " This was the worst hailstorm ever in Islamabad."

Another user Arfa Ch took to her social media account X and said, "Massive hailstrom hitting Islamabad, feels like tennis balls are crashing from the sky."

Earlier, the Pakistan's Meteorological Department (MeT) has forecast rain in several parts of the country, including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad.

According to the department, intermittent rainfall is expected to begin in most districts of KP from Wednesday evening and continue until Sunday, April 20. Thunderstorms accompanied by rain are likely in the northern, central, and southern districts of the province.

A westerly weather system is forecast to enter the upper parts of the country on the evening of April 16 and is likely to affect the region through April 20, bringing widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, and possible hailstorms.

In anticipation of any untoward incidents due to the weather, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert to all district administrations. All relevant departments have been instructed to remain vigilant and ensure the restoration of road links in case of emergencies. In the event of road closures, alternative routes should be provided for traffic.

The PDMA has also advised tourists to check the weather conditions and road status by contacting their helpline before heading to tourist destinations.

Farmers, especially those harvesting wheat, have been advised to schedule agricultural activities in line with the forecast. Landslides may also occur in vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Murree, and Galliyat.