Islamabad/Rawalpindi, September 1, 2026: Torrential rain lashed Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Tuesday, inundating low-lying areas, raising water levels in Leh Nullah and Rawal Dam, disrupting traffic and prompting the Rawalpindi administration to declare a holiday for educational institutions.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the water level in Leh Nullah had risen to 29 feet at Kattarian and 23.5 feet at Gawalmandi after around 200 millimetres of rain was recorded in its catchment areas.
Evacuation operations began in areas around Kattarian and Gawalmandi as authorities stepped up emergency measures to deal with the risk of urban flooding.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the rising water levels had created “urban flooding risks in low-lying areas” of the twin cities.
He said all relief and emergency departments, including the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), Rescue 1122 and district administrations, had been placed on high alert and deployed in the field to manage drainage and protect residents.
PMD rainfall data recorded by 8:20am showed 104mm of rain in Saidpur, 157mm in Golra, 72mm in Bokra, 155mm at the PMD site near H-8/2, 74mm at Kutchery, 201mm at Shamsabad, 86mm at Pir Widhai and 186mm at New Kattarian.
In Rawalpindi, the district administration announced a public holiday for educational institutions and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
Rescue 1122 said its teams conducted operations in several rain-hit areas and safely evacuated 60 people. The emergency service said residents in a number of locations remained trapped inside their homes, with rescue teams continuing efforts to evacuate them.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said torrential rainfall had pushed the water level in Rawal Dam beyond the prescribed limit, prompting authorities to open the spillways at 2pm. He urged citizens to stay away from nullahs and other water channels.
The deputy commissioner also said “record” rainfall in E-11 had caused drains to overflow, inundating roads and entering basements that had previously been sealed.
He alleged that residents of Ghauri Town Phase 2 had blocked a drainage channel with slabs, contributing to the flooding, and directed authorities to take strict action against those responsible and intensify dewatering operations using pumps.
Earlier, the Islamabad DC said rescue operations were under way following a wall collapse in D-12. No loss of life was reported in the incident.
Traffic disrupted as roads inundated
Islamabad traffic police issued an advisory urging motorists to allow additional travel time, reduce speed and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles because accumulated rainwater could disrupt traffic flow.
Motorists were also advised to use fog lights in conditions of poor visibility, remain in designated lanes and plan journeys according to prevailing road conditions.
Journalist Hamid Mir shared video footage showing flooded roads and partially submerged vehicles, saying parts of Islamabad Expressway had been inundated and several motorists were stranded.
The heavy rainfall also disrupted normal life across the twin cities after rain lashed the region on Monday afternoon. The downpour continued for around two hours with short intervals.
Sherry Rehman calls for permanent flood management reforms
PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concern over the flooding, saying the situation had exposed serious weaknesses in Pakistan’s disaster preparedness and urban flood management systems.
“Is this really the level of preparedness we have for dealing with heavy rains and floods? The situation in the twin cities has once again exposed the weaknesses of our disaster management system,” she said.
Rehman said recurring problems such as unchecked construction, inadequate urban planning and insufficient climate-resilient infrastructure continued to contribute to flooding.
She criticised what she described as a reactive approach that focuses on emergencies only after damage has occurred.
“Emergency measures after every episode of heavy rainfall are no longer sufficient,” she said, calling for permanent and effective reforms and coordinated action by federal and provincial institutions.
The senator called for modernising drainage infrastructure, ensuring regular cleaning and maintenance of storm-water channels, strengthening flood management systems and establishing effective early warning mechanisms.
She also urged authorities to accelerate relief operations, safely evacuate vulnerable residents and ensure the provision of food, clean drinking water and emergency medical assistance in affected areas.
Calling the latest rainfall a “clear warning”, Rehman said Pakistan needed a permanent, effective and resilient system for managing urban flooding rather than repeated emergency responses.
The former climate minister had earlier shared footage showing vehicles submerged in floodwater and warned that the rainfall had pushed Islamabad and Rawalpindi towards a “dangerous tipping point”.
The PMD had last week forecast further rainfall in the country’s upper regions until September 5, warning that heavy rains could trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as parts of Mardan, Swabi, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Lahore.
