RAWALPINDI: Heavy rain in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Thursday morning turned the weather pleasant bringing the temperature in the federal capital down to 24 degrees Celsius and in the garrison city 26 degrees Celsius.

However, the Met Office said the rain will provide relief from sizzling heat for a day or two and a new heatwave in the Potohar region is expected by the weekend.

The rain that started on Thursday morning inundated the low-lying area in the twin cities.

The Met Office recorded 54 millimeters of rain at Shamsabad, 44 mm at Gawalmandi, 45 mm at New Kattarian, 32 mm at Kutcheri, 26 mm at Pirwadhai, 21 mm at Chaklala in Rawalpindi and 44 mm at Zero Point, 34 mm at Saidpur, 26 mm at Bokra, 19 mm at Golra, 14 mm at Airport in Islamabad and 37 mm in Murree.

“Weak moist currents are approaching southern parts of the country from Arabian Sea. A westerly wave is also present over upper parts of the country and likely to persist till June 5,” said the Met official.

He said that mainly hot and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country. However, partly cloudy weather accompanied by rain-windstorm/thunderstorm is expected at scattered places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Islamabad and Northeastern Punjab on Friday.

Heavy falls/hailstorm may also be recorded at few places during the period.

In the garrison city, rainwater accumulated on the roads and streets resulted in the worst traffic jams in most areas.

Due to the blockage of the drainage and sewage system in various areas of the city, two to three feet of water accumulated on the roads and streets in several areas including Raja Bazaar, Hamilton Road, Bohar Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, Murree Road, Sadiqabad, Kohati Bazaar, Amarpura, Hazara Colony, Awan Colony, Mehr Colony, Dhok Ratta, Muslim Colony, Javed Colony, Dhok Elahi Bakhsh, Mukha Singh Estate, Glass Factory, Amarpura, New Phagwara.

In Rawalpindi Cantonment Jan Colony, Aslam Market, Dhok Syedan, Girja Road, etc.

In some areas, water mixed with sewage entered houses. The traders and people of Rawalpindi attributed the entry of rainwater into the city before the monsoon to the encroachments and the lack of proper sewerage system.

Meanwhile, the slushy mess was observed in the area where Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has launched development works and digging the roads especially for laying sewerage line in Holy Family Hospital, Satellite Town, Tyre Bazaar, Hamilton Road, Ganjmandi, Farooq-e-Azam Road, Railways Road and others.

I.J. Principal Road near Pandora presented a scene of pond, while the CDA had not paid any attention to make proper drain.

Meanwhile, in view of the rains, Rescue 1122 and WASA Rawalpindi were alerted. Rescue personnel were deployed in Katarian, Gawalmandi and other low-lying areas around the drain.

The Wasa spokesperson Umer Farooq said that the agency had formed teams to drain out rainwater from the roads and streets. He said that the Leh Nullah rose at Kattarian bridge at 7.5 feet while 5.5 feet recorded at Gawalmandi.

He said that Wasa urged parents to never let their children go near drains and electric poles during rains. He said that cleanliness work on Leh Nullah is continued and it will be completed before start of monsoon.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2026