ISLAMABAD: A day after deadly storms wreaked havoc across Punjab and adjoining regions, killing at least 14 and injuring over 50, the Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast further rain, thunderstorms, and hail in several parts of the country on Sunday.
According to the Met Office, adverse weather conditions are likely to persist in Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Pothohar region, and parts of Punjab and Balochistan. The forecast warns of heavy rainfall or hailstorms in isolated areas.
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While storms gripped central and northern areas, extreme heat continued to affect southern regions. Jacobabad recorded the country’s highest temperature at 50°C, followed by 49°C in Sibi. Other hot spots included:
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47°C in Dadu, Mohenjo Daro, Rohri, Larkana, and Nawabshah
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46°C in Sukkur
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45°C in Hyderabad
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44°C in Multan
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41°C in Lahore and Faisalabad
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38°C in Quetta and Peshawar
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37°C in Karachi
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35°C in Islamabad
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33°C in Muzaffarabad
On Saturday, violent dust storms and thunderstorms led to casualties, blackouts, and infrastructural damage across Punjab. In Lahore, a powerful dust storm caused widespread power outages, uprooted trees, and damaged Gaddafi Stadium, resulting in the cancellation of a Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators practice session.
In Rawalpindi, hail and flooding in Abpara and rising water levels in Nala Lai forced officials to declare a rain emergency.
In Chakwal, strong winds shut down a section of the M-2 motorway near Kallar Kahar. Other affected cities included Multan, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Attock, and Sialkot, where winds reportedly blew away solar panels and caused blackouts.
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Rescue authorities attributed many deaths and injuries to the collapse of fragile structures. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that the Punjab government will provide compensation to affected families.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a dust storm swept through Peshawar, while rain was recorded in Malakand, Abbottabad, Mardan, Charsadda, and Mansehra. Swat experienced flooding and hail damage to crops and orchards.
In AJK, rain hit Neelum Valley and Muzaffarabad, causing flooding that led to the closure of Sharea Neelum at Badiyan Seri.
