- situation is being monitored 24/7 in the PDMA control room, PDMA DG says
- Sections of different motorways closed for traffic to ensure safety of public: MP
- Power supply remained suspended in Lesco, IESCO, Gesco, Mepco and Fesco areas
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: At least 13 people died and 92 others were injured as a severe windstorm followed by heavy rain and hail battered several parts of Punjab, the federal capital, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, according to the NDMA and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a powerful weather system brought intense thunderstorms, heavy rain, and hail to parts of the KP and Punjab, including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Gujranwala, and surrounding regions on Saturday.
The weather pattern broke the heatwave and significantly dropped the simmering temperatures, it added.
The PMD stated that rainfall reached up to 40mm in various parts of the twin cities, including 10mm in Golra, 29mm near the PMD headquarters, 32mm in Shamsabad, and 6mm in the Kutchery area.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported hail and heavy downpours in several northern areas, including Haripur and Abbottabad, before the storm moved southward towards Islamabad and the twin cities.
The PDMA released a report on the damage caused by the storm across the province, which showed that three people died in Lahore, two in Jhelum, and one each in Rawalpindi, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Sialkot, Mianwali, Layyah and Jhang.
PDMA’s spokesperson Mazhar Hussain informed that the deaths occurred due to the collapse of dilapidated houses and being in unsafe locations.
He said that several mud and dilapidated houses were also damaged due to the storm, adding, “There were incidents of falling trees and damage to solar panels in Lahore.”
Cool winds began sweeping through Islamabad by late morning, followed by dense cloud cover that turned day into night around 11 AM and soon after, torrential rain and hail lashed the capital and nearby areas.
Residents welcomed the sudden shift in weather as the cool breeze and rain turned parts of the Punjab into a refreshing scene.
In light of the continued severe weather, a rain emergency has been officially imposed in Rawalpindi.
In Lahore, the storm began around 4PM when dark clouds started gathering over the city. Within minutes, Lahore was engulfed by a fierce dust storm that drastically reduced visibility, forcing drivers to switch on headlights and streetlights to navigate the roads.
By 5PM, the skies had darkened so significantly that the city resembled nighttime. Many motorists pulled over, fearing for their safety as strong winds battered the area.
The storm brought with it heavy rain in various parts of the city, resulting in fallen trees and collapsed walls. Rescue officials confirmed that at least three people were injured in related incidents.
In one case near Bhobtian Chowk on Raiwind Road, a wall collapsed due to the strong winds, injuring two young men—25-year-old Usman and 20-year-old Husnain — who were later taken to hospital.
Heavy rain was reported in several areas, including Lakshmi Chowk, Ravi Road Subdivision, Sheranwala Gate, Misri Shah, Baghbanpura, Shad Bagh, Shahdara, and the City Subdivision.
Rainfall also occurred in Gulberg, Tajpura, Mustafa Abad, Gujjarpura, LDA Avenue One, Johar Town, Sabzazar, and Islampura, resulting in waterlogged roads and major traffic disruptions across the city.
PDMA Director General (DG) Irfan Ali Kathia directed deputy commissioners and rescue agencies across the province to remain alert amid reports of wind and rain in various districts of Punjab, a statement by the PDMA said.
“Relevant departments are to be on alert to deal with emergency situations,” the statement read, adding that the provincial control room and all district emergency operation centres have also been alerted.
The situation was being monitored 24/7 in the PDMA control room, DG Kathia said.
He added, “Citizens should be careful and stay away from electric poles and hanging wires.
“Stay in safe places to avoid lightning. Never stay in open places during bad weather and lightning. Avoid unnecessary travel and drive slowly.”
Motorway Police spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmed said that M2 Motorway from Thokar to Kot Momin, M3 Motorway from Faizpur to Darkhana and Lahore-Sialkot Motorway were all closed due to the severe weather.
“Motorways are closed to ensure public safety and safe travel,” he added.
The spokesperson also said that dark clouds were visible on the M4 Motorway from Abdul Hakeem to Sher Shah and the M5 Motorway from Multan to Rahim Yar Khan.
“There is a severe thunderstorm at various places on the national highway from Lahore to Chichawatni as well as from Mian Channu, Khanewal, Multan, and Lodhran,” he added.
He urged the public to be careful while driving and avoid speeding.
WASA DG Ghufran Ahmed also said, “All staff and machinery were instructed to remain on full alert. Pumps and staff will remain ready at all underpasses.”
Separately, the roof of a local factory in Sheikhupura collapsed due to a strong wind, killing a worker from Sadiqabad and seriously injuring five others, state media Pakistan Television reported.
The report stated that Rescue 1122 teams pulled out the dead body and the injured from the rubble and shifted them to the Sheikhupura District Headquarters Hospital.
شیخوپورہ میں مقامی فیکٹری کی شدید آندھی کے باعث چھت گر گئی جس کے باعث صادق آباد کا رہائشی مزدور جاں بحق اور پانچ افراد شدید زخمی ہوگئے ریسکیو 1122 شیخوپورہ کی امدادی ٹیموں نے جاں بحق اور زخمیوں کو ملبے تلے سے نکال کر ڈسٹرکٹ ہیڈ کوارٹر ہسپتال شیخوپورہ منتقل کر دیا pic.twitter.com/eVbZE1vxyW
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) May 24, 2025
Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed announced that medical assistance will be provided to the injured people, the PDMA statement read.
DG Kathia said that financial assistance will be provided to the affected families.
A statement from the Lesco claimed that the power supply was restored to all 132kV grid stations by removing faults on transmission lines, except for some, where work was in progress.
“All grid stations will be fully functional soon,” the statement added.
A statement by the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) said that the power supply was restored to all 132kV grid stations by removing faults on transmission lines.
The team was restoring 11kV feeders and the system will be normalized soon, the statement added.
The company earlier stated that the power supply in South Punjab was affected by the rain. Feeders tripped in Multan, Khanewal, Vehari, and Sahiwal, it added.
On Friday, the PDMA issued an alert about wind and dust storms in different areas of Punjab.
It said that the wind and dust storms would continue today with a possibility of rain in Rawalpindi, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Khushab, Sargodha and Mianwali.
There would be rain in the south Punjab areas, including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar, it added.
