Islamabad Weather: More rains forecast for Islamabad, Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD – On Monday, different areas of the country, including the twin cities, experienced rainfall of different strengths. This disrupted normal life as it led to flooding in urban areas, sudden floods in small local streams, and significant traffic congestion.

In Rawalpindi/Islamabad, intense rain showers transformed roads and streets into temporary lakes and ponds. The heavy rainfall also led to the water level in Nullah Lai rising significantly.

According to local residents and rescue personnel, at least four individuals lost their lives due to drowning in Nullah Lai, including a woman and a child.

Tragically, a two-year-old toddler drowned in Nullah Lai in the Pirwadhai area of Rawalpindi. Another fatality was a 45-year-old woman named Riffat Kanwal, who drowned in the nullah near Razzaq Town.

In a separate incident, two motorcyclists fell into Nullah Lai in the Khayaban-e-Sir Syed area. Thankfully, local residents managed to rescue one of the motorcyclists, but the other person’s body remains missing.

Rescue officials are still working to recover the body of a 10-year-old boy who drowned in the nullah near Chakri Road.

The region experienced a combination of rain, wind, and thundershowers in Islamabad, the Potohar Region, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan. Additionally, there were instances of isolated heavy downpours in the Potohar region and Kashmir.

Rainfall (mm):

Punjab: Rawalpindi (Kacheri 68, Chaklala 67, Shamsabad 63), Islamabad (Airport 47, Zero point & Bokra 46, Golra 37, Saidpur 08), Murree 12, Attock 10, Chakwal 02

Kashmir: Garhi Dupatta 26, Kotli 25, Rawalakot 16, Muzaffarabad (City 05 & Airport 03)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Dir (Upper 25, Lower 18), Cherat, Kakul 10, Balakot 08, Parachinar 03, Mardan 02

Gilgit Baltistan: Bunji 02

According to the synoptic situation, moist currents from the Arabian Sea are penetrating the upper parts of Pakistan.

A westerly wave is also present in the upper parts of the country.

Under the influence of these conditions, rain-wind/thundershower is expected at isolated places in Upper Punjab, Pothohar region, Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan and Kashmir on Monday night.

There is a possibility of heavy rainfall in specific regions like upper Punjab, the Pothohar area, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Kashmir during the upcoming period.

The rainfall could be moderate to heavy, leading to increased water flows in local streams and nullahs in places like Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, and Rawalpindi/Islamabad from the 14th to the 16th of August.

These wet spells might result in urban flooding in low-lying parts of cities such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, and nearby areas on the 14th and 15th of August.

Furthermore, the rains could trigger landslides in vulnerable areas like Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and the hilly regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.