Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar: Torrential rains and thunderstorms in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Kashmir submerged low-lying areas, crippled power supply, and caused widespread destruction. At least 10 people were killed and 60 injured as several houses collapsed.
In Dera Ismail Khan, violent winds and storms wreaked havoc, toppling rooftops, electric poles, and wires, plunging the city into darkness. Winds blowing at 100 km/h uprooted trees.
In Mardan, a roof collapse during the downpour killed one person and injured two others. Heavy rain also lashed Haripur and nearby areas, forcing dam spillways to be opened.
In Azad Kashmir, landslides destroyed four houses and a mosque. Punjab’s cities experienced intermittent rains, leaving many areas inundated.
In Lahore, heavy rains flooded Gulberg, Jail Road, Temple Road, Lakshmi Chowk, Garhi Shahu, Shadbagh, Mughalpura, Jallo, and GOR, with water entering homes.
Elsewhere, heavy showers in Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, and Chiniot created chaos, while in Chishtian, Sangla Hill, and Chenab Nagar, storms and rainfall toppled poles and tripped multiple feeders, disrupting power and water supply.
Attock, Bahawalnagar, and Pindi Bhattian also witnessed rain. Abbottabad and adjoining areas saw heavy downpour and hailstorm, turning the Karakoram Highway into a waterlogged stretch.
In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, torrential rains swelled streams, flooding Bhara Kahu and Athal Chowk, while water entered homes and shops, trapping several vehicles. Rising levels in Rawal Dam forced authorities to open spillways.
In Gilgit, hotels along the Gilgit River were shut down amid fears of rising water flow, while riverside schools were ordered closed on Monday.
Murree continued to receive heavy downpours, triggering landslides and flash floods in streams. Traffic was severely disrupted at Kohala Road and Patriata, while Kotli Sattian and Bypass Road were blocked by debris.
Nationwide Rain Alert
The Meteorological Department has issued a severe rain alert till August 30, warning of flash floods and urban flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, and Abbottabad, with risk of landslides.
Urban flooding is also feared in Peshawar, Nowshera, and Mardan, and citizens as well as tourists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel.
Meanwhile, at Ganda Singh Wala (Sutlej River), high-level flooding submerged dozens of villages, raising water levels above 21 feet, and submerging thousands of acres of farmland in Kasur. Over 30 villages lost road access, while Head Sulemanki recorded low-level flooding and Guddu Barrage reported high-level flooding.
