Islamabad, April 16, 2025: A powerful hailstorm swept through Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Wednesday afternoon, damaging vehicles, homes, and solar panels, and triggering flash floods in several areas.
In Islamabad, the storm lasted for about 35 minutes, bringing strong winds and large hailstones that shattered windscreens, broke windows, and stripped trees of branches and leaves. Several trees were uprooted in the Tarnol area, disrupting traffic and causing brief panic as children playing in parks rushed home in fear.
While the downpour offered relief from the recent heat, it also led to widespread power outages across the capital. According to the deputy commissioner’s office, civic and traffic police teams were deployed to clear roads and drain water from affected areas. Damage assessments are underway, with reports of broken windows and structural damage in multiple localities.
Former climate change minister and PPP Senator Sherry Rehman called the hailstorm “insane” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying the hail “came down like pellets.” She linked the event to climate change, calling it “not a random natural event” but the result of rising emissions and dependency on fossil fuels.
In KP, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said flash floods were expected in several districts including Landikotal and Mardan. PDMA Director General Asfandyar Khattak assured the public that emergency teams were on high alert and coordination with district administrations was ongoing. Preliminary damage assessments were being collected under the direction of Relief Minister Haji Nek Muhammad Dawar.
Khattak confirmed the Emergency Response Centre at the PDMA’s central office is operating 24/7, and citizens can call the toll-free number 1700 in emergencies.
Tragically, in Chilas (Diamer district), two children were swept away by flash floods. One child died en route to the hospital, while the other was transferred to Islamabad for treatment, according to police spokesperson Raja Ashfaq.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had earlier forecast rain, wind, and thunderstorms for northern parts of the country from April 16 and again between April 18–20. A similar hailstorm had struck the federal capital in April last year.
