Severe Storms Claim 19 Lives, Disrupt Pakistan’s Punjab and KP

At least 19 people died and over 90 were injured as windstorms and heavy rains battered Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Islamabad on Saturday, Dawn Newspaper reported. Punjab bore the brunt, with fatalities caused by collapsing roofs, walls, and fallen trees. KP reported no deaths but extensive damage to crops and power infrastructure, with 113 feeders tripped province-wide.

Road and air travel were paralyzed. Motorways (M2, M3) closed, while flights to Lahore faced diversions due to low visibility. A Karachi-Lahore flight aborted landing amid severe turbulence, leaving 57 passengers refusing to re-board.

Islamabad saw flooded roads and uprooted trees, while Lahore endured dust storms and power outages. In KP, Swat’s flash floods disrupted exams, and Mohmand’s hailstorms ruined crops.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued alerts, mobilizing rescue teams. The Met Office forecasts more rain on Sunday for Lahore, Peshawar, and Multan.