NDMA issues weather alert as Pakistan braces for hail, dust storms

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a weather alert as Pakistan is bracing for hail and dust storms, ARY News reported on Friday.

As per the alert, Pakistan is set to experience intense weather conditions on April 18 (today) and 19 (tomorrow), as heavy rain, dust storms, and hailstorms are forecast across several regions.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a weather advisory, urging citizens to remain vigilant and adopt necessary safety measures.

The National Emergencies Operations Center (NEOC), in its alert stated that Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and several districts in Punjab are expected to bear the brunt of the storm.

Among the most affected areas will be Chakwal, Gujrat, Jhelum, and parts of central Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, and Sargodha.

Strong winds, intense rainfall, and hailstorms could lead to power outages, traffic disruptions, and structural damage. The NDMA particularly warned of significant threats to standing crops in agricultural regions, especially in Punjab.

Five people lost their lives and nineteen others were injured as a fierce hailstorm battered multiple cities in Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As per details, the storm, with lightning and strong winds, brought down walls and caused fatal incidents across the northern part of the country.

In Jhelum, three people, including a woman, were killed when the walls of their homes collapsed.

In Kot Addu, a young man died after being struck by lightning. In Rawalpindi’s Ratta Amral area, a mosque wall collapsed, claiming the life of a young boy. Five of the injured are in critical condition, authorities reported.