Quake survivors brave severe cold: Relentless snowfall in hilly areas
By Rashid Javed & Nisar Ahmad Khan
ABBOTTABAD / MANSEHRA, Jan 5: Snowfall and rain in earthquake-hit areas of Mansehra and Battagram districts multiplied the problems and health risks to the survivors, particularly women and children.
Abbottabad city and its adjoining areas were also in the grip of severe cold weather because of continuing snowfall and rain.
One to two feet of snowfall was reported in the hilly areas of Thandyani, Nathiagali, Ayubia, Changla Gali and Donga Gali.
According to police sources, the road link between Abbottabad and Changla Gali had been restored.
Election campaign in the Galyat and other hilly areas also stopped.
In the earthquake-hit region, rain and snowfall began in the hilly areas on Saturday morning and continued till the evening, increasing difficulties for the survivors in Balakot, Allai, Jabory, Naran, Kaghan and adjoining areas as shelters and prefabricated houses proved insufficient to save the families from the biting cold.
Most of the patients taken to hospitals in Oghi, Balakot, Battagram and Mansehra suffered from acute respiratory track infection.
People also faced problems in reaching the hospitals because of massive landslides. Several roads were blocked in Siran, Konsh, Kaghan and Allai valleys.
Gilgit was also in the grip of severe cold.
APP adds: A meteorological department official said in Islamabad that although various parts of the country had received intermittent rain on Saturday, it was expected that La Nina effect would have a strong influence on the weather for the next few months, resulting in less rains.
La Nina occurred when water turned unusually cold in the Pacific Ocean near the equator, the official said.
He said rain with snowfall on the hills was expected at scattered places in Punjab, Balochistan, the NWFP and Kashmir and at isolated places in Sindh.
Murree, the Galyat, the Northern Areas and Kashmir would receive heavy rainfall after 24 hours, he said.
He said the Lowari Pass was expected to be closed because of heavy snowfall and the possibility of landslides and local flash flooding could not be ruled out.
Airlines’ schedules were also expected to be affected, he said.
