SHANGLA: Snowfall and rain continued on the third consecutive day in Shangla district on Friday, disrupting life.

According to a local Met official, Yakhtangy, Speen Ghar, Shangla Top, Kandaw, Ajmer and other localities received from one to five feet of snowfall. Besides, heavy rain lashed Besham city, Alpuri, Puran, Chakesar, Shapoor, Damorai, Karora, Shang, Dandai and Martung areas.

The snowfall and rain disturbed life as power supply to Besham and other areas remained disconnected for last 29 hours. The business activities were also affected as the residents were staying indoors and bazaars presented a deserted look.

Road linking Swat with Besham and Puran was closed at Yakhtangy due to heavy snowfall. The residents said they were short of food items and unable to shift patients to hospitals due to closure of roads.

Azam Khan, hailing from Ajmeer village, demanded of the government to reopen the Ameer-Shapoor road by removing snow.

Imran, a local trader, told Dawn their businesses were hit hard as customers didn’t visit Besham Bazaar due to rain and snowfall for last three days. He said electricity suspension had compounded their misery.

UPPER DIR: There was heavy snowfall in upper parts of Upper Dir, including Lawari Top, while plains received rain on Friday.

The fresh spell of snowfall and rain started on Thursday night and continued on Friday with short intervals.

Hilly areas like Lowari top, Komrat, Thal, Doog Dara, Ganshal, Nusrat Dara and Shahi received up to one and a half feet of snowfall. According to Met office, the district had so far received 30mm of rain.

The Lowari Pass was closed to traffic due to heavy snowfall, stranding a large number of trucks and other vehicles, stressing passengers out, especially those bound for Chitral.

A large number of vehicles were seen parked near the deputy commissioner’s camp office in Panakot on the Dir side of the Lowari tunnel.

The passengers, especially women, complained that the Dir district administration had stopped them, without any reason, from traveling onward to Chitral.

Due to biting cold, passengers, particularly patients, elderly and children, were suffering a lot. “I am a kidney patient and requested the authorities to permit me to continue my journey, but the officials didn’t allow me,” lamented Zakia Bibi.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2016