Heavy rain wreaks havoc in twin cities, inundates streets and homes

At least one person was killed, 35 injured after multiple vehicles collided on M-2 motorway due to bad weather

Heavy torrential rain wreaked havoc in low-lying areas of the twin cities on Monday, with rainwater and overflowing drains inundating streets and entering dozens of homes in several localities, authorities said.

The National Weather Forecasting Centre recorded 107mm of rainfall in Pirwadhai, 80mm in Gawalmandi, 76mm in New Kattarian, 64mm in Katcheri near Chaklala and 48mm in Shamsabad by 1:50pm.

Floodwater levels reached 6 feet in Kattarian and 3 feet in Gawalmandi, it said.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), significant rainfall was also recorded at various locations in Islamabad. Golra near 11-E received the highest rainfall at 146mm, followed by CTTI-12, Bokra, at 138mm, PMD headquarters in H-8/2 at 48mm and Saidpur Village at 17mm.

Rawalpindi Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director (MD) Aziz Ullah Khan said the heavy downpour resulted in flooding in several low-lying areas of Rawalpindi, including Fauji Colony and Mumtaz Town.

He said, “In Fauji Colony, rainwater drains overflowed, causing rainwater to enter the populated area inundated homes,” adding that the ingress of floodwaters caused “significant damage to household belongings”.

Khan said rescue teams were dispatched promptly to the affected area to evacuate residents and shift them to safer locations.

Read: Five-day rain spell puts Punjab, K-P on alert

He further added that rescue teams retrieved several people stranded in the urban floodwater and moved them to safe places.

"In Mumtaz Town, floodwater entered residential houses, with around six feet of water reportedly accumulating inside dozens of homes," he said.

Khan asserted that heavy rainfall caused water levels to rise rapidly in the affected locality, causing severe flooding.

WASA MD maintained that the situation has been brought under control, although intermittent rain continues to impact the metropolis.

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Contrary to claims by WASA MD of immediate rescue and support, speaking to The Express Tribune, the residents of Mumtaz Town, an area located inside the Chaklala Cantonment, complained that they were left on their own to drain water from their homes and remove belongings from the flooded areas.

“Several vehicles, furniture items and electronic appliances were damaged or rendered unusable after being submerged in floodwater,” a flood victim lamented.

Earlier in the day, according to the WASA Flood Control Room (FCD), a heavy downpour caused water levels in Nullah Lai and its associated drains to rise to around 20 feet at one point, prompting authorities to sound danger sirens and advise residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.

It highlighted that the flood situation was particularly difficult in areas in and around Chaklala Cantonment, including Dhok Kala Khan, Mumtaz Town, Banaras Colony and Afzal Town, where rainwater and overflow from drains entered residential streets and houses.

Moreover, several major roads and connecting streets in Rawalpindi were also inundated, resulting in slowed traffic and congestion at various locations, the 24-hour FCD noted.

In the wake of the heavy monsoon downpour and weather forecast issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the WASA declared a rain emergency in the city.

According to WASA, the situation “improved” after the intensity of the rainfall subsided and the water level in Nullah Lai had begun falling rapidly, reducing the immediate risk of flooding.

Rain Update — Islamabad and Rawalpindi| 17 August 2026 | 01:50 PM#PMD #IslamabadRain #Rainfall #Monsoon2026 #PakistanWeather #WeatherAlert #islamabad #Rawalpindi pic.twitter.com/rCg9IDmMwr

— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) August 17, 2026

One killed, 35 injured after multiple vehicles collide on M-2 near Rawalpindi

Separately, at least one person was killed and 35 others injured after multiple vehicles collided on the M-2 motorway in Rawalpindi due to bad weather, Rescue 1122 said.

According to Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Usman Gujjar, a total of 36 people were affected in the pile-up accident, with 25 injured persons shifted to hospitals for treatment.

Gujjar said 22 of the injured were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), while three others were shifted to Shifa Hospital. 
“10 other injured people were provided medical treatment at the accident site,” he added.

The spokesperson said the body of the person who died in the accident was shifted to Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital (RTH).

“The deceased has been identified as Shamsur Rehman, son of Muhammad Suleman, and a resident of Attock,” Gujjar told The Express Tribune.

The Rescue 1122 operation at the site has been completed, according to the spokesperson.

The rescue service claimed it received a call for help today at 11:50am from a location near Capital Smart City, reporting a seven-vehicle collision and pile-up on the M-2 motorway.

PMD nationwide forecast for August 17-23

A day earlier, the PMD revealed its latest outlook on week-long weather, contending “more rain-wind/thundershower” in Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, Kashmir and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the next few days, with heavy falls also expected during the period.

According to the weather forecast, on August 17 (today), more rain-wind/thundershower was expected in Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, Kashmir and upper Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). It revealed that heavy falls are also expected during the period. For the rest of the country, PMD said “hot and humid weather” would prevail.

🌦️ Weekly Weather Outlook (17 – 23 August, 2026).#PMD #WeatherUpdate #PakistanWeather #RainAlert #HeavyRain #Thunderstorm #Monsoon #Islamabad #Punjab #KhyberPakhtunkhwa #GilgitBaltistan #Kashmir #StayAlert pic.twitter.com/RnSwUkaSPc

— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) August 17, 2026

On Tuesday, more rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and upper K-P, with heavy falls also expected during the period. The PMD further noted that hot and humid weather is expected in other parts of the country.

According to PMD, on August 19, rain-wind/thundershower, with isolated heavy falls, has been forecast for K-P, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, G-B and Kashmir, while maintaining a “hot and humid weather outlook” for the rest of the country.

On Thursday, August 20, the Met Office predicted rain-wind/thundershower, with isolated heavy falls, in K-P, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab, G-B and Kashmir, adding that hot and humid weather is expected in other parts of the country.

For August 21, the PMD forecast rain-wind/thundershower, with isolated heavy falls, in K-P, Islamabad, upper Punjab, G-B and Kashmir, as hot and humid weather expands to other parts of the country.

A day later on Saturday, it predicted rain-wind/thundershower, with isolated heavy falls, in Kashmir, G-B, K-P, Islamabad, Punjab and northeast Balochistan, anticipating hot and humid weather across other areas of Pakistan.

At the end of the forecast week, the Met department said “mainly hot and humid weather” would prevail in most parts of the country. “However, isolated rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, upper K-P and northeast Punjab.