A sudden and intense hailstorm swept across Islamabad and surrounding regions on April 16 afternoon, causing extensive damage to vehicles, solar infrastructure, and other public property.
The violent storm, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rainfall, lashed the federal capital and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for over half an hour, turning the cityscape into scenes of chaos.
Egg-sized hailstones shatter windscreens, damage property
Residents were caught off guard as hailstones—some the size of eggs—pelted cars and buildings with alarming force. Numerous vehicles left exposed were severely damaged, with shattered windscreens and sunroofs, dented body panels, and broken windows widely reported.
The hailstorm also struck a blow to Islamabad’s growing green energy infrastructure. Several solar carports, designed to support electric vehicle charging, were battered by the storm. Many solar panels were shattered and supporting frames bent, prompting fresh concerns about the resilience of renewable energy systems to increasingly erratic weather patterns.
In residential zones, the storm’s impact was equally severe. Broken windowpanes, uprooted trees, and damaged rooftops were reported across various localities. In Islamabad’s Tarnol area, uprooted trees blocked roads and disrupted traffic flow. Children playing in parks were seen scrambling for cover as hailstones began to fall, raising concerns over public safety during such abrupt weather events.
Power outages were reported in several sectors of Islamabad, with repair crews dispatched to restore electricity in affected zones. While the storm brought a brief respite from the sweltering heat—temporarily lowering temperatures and rendering the post-storm weather pleasant—the destruction left in its wake has led to renewed calls for enhanced urban resilience planning.
Photos and videos of Islamabad hailstorm and damage
Social media quickly became flooded with dramatic images and videos of the hailstorm’s aftermath, capturing the scale of destruction. Hashtags related to the storm trended across platforms, with residents sharing personal accounts of damage and near-misses.
Meteorological Forecast: More Storms Expected
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), this system was part of a broader weather pattern affecting northern Pakistan. The PMD had forecast rain, wind, and thunderstorms across Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and surrounding areas from April 16, with further activity expected between April 18 and 20.
This marks the second consecutive April that Islamabad has witnessed a severe hailstorm, pointing toward a troubling trend in extreme weather incidents. Experts continue to warn that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of such events.
“This is extreme weather volatility driven by climate change, where anomalies proliferate. Not a random natural event. And related entirely to human actions like emissions, which are growing because of addiction to dirty energy,” said PPP Senator and former climate change minister Sherry Rehman in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
what just happened???
byu/_coronafighter inislamabad