Monsoon rains wreaked havoc across Murree, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, triggering landslides, widespread urban flooding, and tragic loss of life as authorities scrambled to respond to the unfolding emergency.
In one of the most dramatic incidents, a four-storey building collapsed at Lakot on the Murree Expressway after a powerful landslide destabilized the structure. Continuous downpours also triggered landslides in Jhika Gali, Kausar Colony, and Dhak, placing several homes on the brink of collapse and raising fears of further destruction if the rain persists.
👉#Rawalpindi in #RajaBazaar, its essentially no #Drainage mechanism or upgradation that we r witnessing today
👉#Murree, #deforestation results in soil losing its structure & anchoring support, hence infrastructure collapse
👉#BharaKahu, settlements along the streams, blocking… pic.twitter.com/kPJMZsX6bY— Zainab Naeem (@ZainabNaeem7) July 31, 2026
The crisis extended to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, where a powerful spell of rain brought large parts of both cities to a standstill. The Flood Control Room reported the highest rainfall of 103 millimeters at Kutchery Chaklala, while the water level in Nullah Lai surged to 10 feet, prompting authorities to issue a pre-alert for the Gawalmandi area.
Amid the chaos, tragedy struck in Friends Colony on Misrial Road, where a child was swept into a rainwater drain while playing and drowned, highlighting the deadly dangers posed by the extreme weather.
Historic Raja Bazaar was also overwhelmed as floodwater poured into shops following the failure of the area’s drainage system. The market, recently declared a model bazaar, saw businesses inundated, leaving traders facing losses worth millions of rupees. Fawara Chowk and surrounding roads remained submerged for hours, while residents claimed officials from the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation were nowhere to be seen during the emergency.
According to WASA Managing Director Aziz Ullah Khan, emergency teams carried out water-drainage operations in several low-lying neighborhoods, including Sadiqabad, Dhoke Kala Khan, Gawalmandi, Millat Colony, Javed Colony, Jan Colony, Misrial Road, Girja Road, and Dhamiyal, in an effort to reduce flooding.
Although rainfall later eased and the water level in Nullah Lai gradually returned to normal, the damage had already been done. Floodwater entered more than 50 homes in Gawalmandi and nearby localities, destroying furniture and other valuable belongings.
Frustrated residents demanded immediate action against encroachments blocking the area’s drainage channels, warning that unless stormwater routes are cleared, future monsoon spells could trigger even greater devastation.
