01 January 2005	Saturday	19 Ziqa'ad 1425

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Most parts of the country received heavy to light rain, accompanied by chilly winds which brought temperature considerably down. Some parts of the country also received heavy to normal snowfall.

Different parts of Northern Areas and Balochistan received snowfall up to one foot on Friday, a weather expert in Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) told Dawn. The expert said more rains were expected in Punjab, North-West Frontier Province and Kashmir and more snow was likely to fall in Northern Areas and Murree on Saturday.

The famous picnic resort of Lowari Top in Northern Areas has been closed and flights to Northern Areas have been cancelled due to inclement weather. According to the PMD, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Muzaffarabad received heavy to moderate rains on Friday and the snow fell In Northern Areas, Gilgit and North Balochistan including Quetta and Ziarat.

Barani (arid) areas of Punjab and NWFP provinces also received good scattered rains which, brightened prospects of a bumber wheat crop. Snowfall was recorded in Kalam and Malam Jabba over the past four Days.

According to met office, Multan received 34 mm of rains, Gilgit 33 mm, Islamabad 32 mm, Peshawar 31mm, Rahim Yar Khan 23mm, Larkana 21mm, Dera Ghazi Khan 19 mm, Dera Ismail Khan 18mm, Lahore 10mm, Muzaffarabad 10mm, Sahiwal 10 mm, Sukkar 7mm, Nawabshah 6mm, Jaccobbabad 6mm, Bhawalnagar 6 mm, Rawalpindi 5mm, Murree 5mm, Chakwal 5mm, Karachi 3mm and Hyderabad 3mm.

Reports received from Batgram District said torrential rains in the district triggered a series of landslides blocking the Karakoram Road for all kinds of traffic. The heavy rains have been pounding the area since Thursday night, knocking out the communication system in some parts of the area.

According to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) the roads in Loter had been closed for all kinds of traffic. The FWO was making hectic efforts round the clock to restore the traffic on the road and hoped that it would be restored within 24 hours. The closure of road had badly affected the normal life of the people and hampered the business activities in the area.

THREE KILLED: Three persons were killed and seven others injured in Khairpur incidents caused by rains on Friday. Due to slippery roads, a motorcycle-rickshaw collided head-on with a tractor, killing Makhan Faqir Manganhar and Baby Sitabi, 9. Five others were injured. All the seven people were of the same family.

Rashidan, Sajan, Nimani, 3, Rizwan, 6, and Samina, 5, were injured. Rashidan and Sajan have been shifted to a hospital in Nawabshah owing to their critical condition. One Satram Bheel died after a motorcycle collided with a bicycle. Abdul Manan Shahani and Mujahid Ali Wassan also suffered injuries.

Light hailstorm was reported in Kingri taluka on Friday. All areas of Dadu, Sehwan, Kotri, Thana Bula Khan, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Johi received heavy rains badly affecting transport, electricity and telecommunication systems.

Rains were reported in Nawabshah, Sakrand, Qazi Ahmed, Doulatpur, Jam Sahab, Daur, Bandhi, parts of Naushahro Feroze, Bhirya, Kandiaro, Mithiani, Tharushah, Moro, Kandiaro, Halani, Padidan and Mehrabpur. Widespread rains lashed the NWFP and Federally Administered Tribal Areas on Thursday night and continued throughout the day on Friday.