RAWALPINDI: Rain varying from light to heavy lashed the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday, throwing the normal life out of gear and inundating low laying areas.

The rain started in the wee hours of Friday and continued till late night while the Met Office predicted more rain during next 24 hours.

It was a bad day for local residents, especially students who had to sit the annual matric and 9th grade examinations being held under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in two shifts.

In the downtown areas, water puddles were visible on the roads and streets and in some areas a slushy mess was created.

More rain expected today, Murree and Galiyat on alert

The worst affected areas were Jhanda Chichi Road, Ch. Bostan Khan Road, Saddar, Raja Bazaar, Rashid Minhas Road, Nogaza Road, Transit camp Road, Ratta Amral Road, Farooq-i-Azam Road, Sadiqabad Road and others.

The Met Office recorded 25 millimetres of rain at Saidpur Village, 22mm at Zero Point, 15mm at Islamabad International Airport, 13mm at Golra and 10mm at Bokra in Islamabad while 19mm at Shamsabad, 18mm at Chaklala, 17mm at New Kattarian, 14mm at Kutchery, 13mm at Pirwidahi and 5mm at Gawalmandi in Rawalpindi while 23mm in Murree.

A Met official said that a strong westerly wave is affecting most parts of the country and likely to persist in upper/central parts till April 4.

“Rain-wind/thunderstorms is expected at most places in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Upper Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy rainfall/hailstorms may also occur at a few places.

However, dry weather is expected in other parts of the country,” he said.

According to a weather advisory, due to heavy rainfall, landslides and flash floodd may occur in Kashmir, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Murree-Galiyat.

Windstorm/hailstorm and lightning may damage weak structures (electric poles, billboards, solar panels etc) during the forecast period.

Hailstorm/windstorm may damage standing crops in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said that the district administration had already activated the flood centres and deployed special teams to monitor the water level in Leh Nullah.

He said that Rescue 1122, Wasa, Civil Defence and other departments had been asked to remain alert to tackle the issue. He said that the RWMC had been asked to drain out water from the low lying areas.

In view of the weather advisory of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Shirazi has issued an advisory for citizens, tourists and travelers and said that strong winds, thunderstorms and intermittent rain continued in Murree and its surroundings, which had increased the risk of accidents.

He said that the district administration had appealed to the public not to travel to Murree and adjacent areas unnecessarily and to limit their movement.

The advisory warned that due to continuous rains, landslides, rockfalls and slippery roads may occur, so special precautions should be taken while traveling.

The advisory stated that it is extremely important to stay away from rivers, slopes and low-lying areas as rain can cause sudden water flow, which can lead to dangerous situations. In any emergency, citizens have been instructed to immediately contact Rescue 1122 or the district administration helpline 051-9269018.

According to the district administration, all relevant agencies are on alert and the situation is being continuously monitored.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2026