ISLAMABAD: At least three people were killed in Rawalpindi and Gujar Khan on Wednesday after an intense hailstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and gusty winds, battered the region.

According to sources, two people died in the Sohawa area of Gujar Khan when a wall collapsed on individuals passing through a street in Sohawa Town. Four others in the same area were critically injured. Head injuries were cited as the cause behind the deaths of the deceased.

The victims were identified as Amir, 30, and Mohammad Yousuf, 55. The injured were taken to THQ Hospital Sohawa.

In Rawalpindi, 23-year-old Iyaz Khan, a resident of Hazara Colony, died after a mosque wall collapsed in the Ratta Amral area.

Hailstones shatter car windscreens, damage solar panels and destroy several weak structures

While hailstorms are a common feature during seasonal transitions in the region, the size of the hailstones on Wednesday stunned residents of Islamabad.

Authorities have warned that such intense weather events may become the “new normal” due to climate change.

The hailstorm, accompanied by strong winds, shattered car windscreens, damaged solar panels and destroyed several weak structures in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the federal capital also bore the consequences of poor urban planning, as several newly built mega-projects failed to manage the stormwater.

Water accumulates on roads in multiple areas, primarily due to clogged drainage systems that require urgent maintenance before the onset of summer rains.

Residents reported serious damage, particularly to car windscreens and solar installations.

“It felt like a micro-level bombardment on the car. We saw windscreens shattering and the car roof pounding as if it would collapse on us,” said Mahnoor Ali, a resident of F-11.

The hashtag #hailstorm trended on X, with users sharing videos and expressing concern over the destruction.

Observers noted that the size of the hailstones in Islamabad, particularly at the foot of the Margalla Hills, reached up to 1.2 inches. The intensity of the storm reduced toward Rawalpindi, with no hail reported beyond Faizabad or near Rawal Dam.

Senator Sherry Rehman, Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, shared her concern on X.

“In April—INSANE hailstorm in Islamabad. Coming down like pellets. This is extreme weather volatility driven by #climatechange—anomalies proliferate. Not random, but rooted in human actions like emissions from dirty energy. While some of us can seek shelter, many cannot. A painful example of growing global inequality,” she wrote, tagging UNEP and UN in Pakistan.

Speaking to Dawn, Met Office spokesperson Dr Zaheer Babar said hailstorms are typical during the spring-to-summer transition but acknowledged that Wednesday’s event was unusually intense.

“This is the result of climate change — intense dry periods followed by intense hailstorms and rainfall. This is the new normal,” he stated.

The storm, however, brought temporary relief from the heat. The mercury in Islamabad dropped from 27°C on Tuesday to 22°C by 8pm Wednesday. Saidpur received 13mm of rainfall, while Zero Point and Shamsabad recorded around 8mm.

Meteorologists attributed the event to a convergence of hot, dry air from the subcontinent with cool, wet westerly winds from Central Asia and northern Iran.

A shallow westerly wave remains active over northern Pakistan and Indian-occupied Kashmir. Another rain spell is expected on Friday, likely persisting until April 20.—

Hamid Asghar in Gujar Khan also contributed to the story

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2025