Chill back as thundershowers, hailstorm continue in twin cities

Islamabad: Thundershowers and hailstorm continued in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for the second consecutive day on Wednesday bringing back chill in the air.

The stormy weather, which occurred in the evening and lasted briefly unlike Tuesday when it continued for more than one hour, led to the uprooting of trees and billboards, rescheduling of many flights, and flooding of roads.

Hailstorm was also reported. However, no damage to public life was reported. Massive traffic jams were seen in Islamabad and Rawalpindi’s major roads, especially IJP Road, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road and the Mall.

The administration put Rescue 1122 and civic agencies on alert. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicted more rains and gusty winds during the next 24 hours. PMD forecasting officer Imran Ahmad Siddiqi said on Wednesday evening that the maximum rainfall recorded during the last 24 hours was 21 millimeters in Islamabad and 21 millimeters in Rawalpindi.

As for Islamabad, 21 millimetres rain was reported in Zero Point area, 20mm in Saidpur, 11mm in Bokra and four millimetres in Golra, while in Rawalpindi, it was 21mm in Shamsabad and 18mm in Chaklala.

The weatherman said the rain coupled thunderstorm and gusty winds was expected in Islamabad and Rawalpindi today (Thursday) like other parts of the country, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat and Bannu divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata, and Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha and Faisalabad divisions of Punjab.

“Heavy rainfall with hailstorm is expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Islamabad,” he said. Imran Siddiqi warned that due to heavy downpours, there was a risk of flash flooding and landsliding in vulnerable areas of Malakand, Hazara and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He also said dust storm and gusty winds could be more than 100 km/hour in upper parts of the country, including Islamabad and Rawalpindi division. Meanwhile, the pleasant, windy weather caused by the rains prompted families to turn to parks and recreational spots, including Pir Sohawa, Daman-i-Koh, Lake View Park, Fatima Jinnah Park, Shakarparian, Shahdara and Chattar. Restaurants and cafés, too, attracted large crowds, while the sellers of ‘samosa’, ‘pakora’ and’ jaleebi’ reported high sales, especially in the evening.