PESHAWAR: After a prolonged dry spell, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas received rain coupled with snowfall on hills on Saturday.

Light rain fell in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Mansehra and other districts and snow in high-altitude areas, including Lowari Top, Kalam Bahrain and Shangla in Malakand division, and Kurram Agency.

According to a Met Office official in Peshawar, 7mm rain was recorded in Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir, 4mm rain in Kalam, 3mm in Darosh and Mirkani areas, and 2mm in Parachinar.

He said after a break on Sunday, the rain would resume on Monday in upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The official, however, said there was no chance of rainfall next week after Monday.

The people heaved a sigh of relief after seeing rain and snow fall.

The dry spell, which lasted around four months, had worried the people, especially farmers.

They hoped the rain would end dry cough, cold, chest and throat infections and other health problems caused by the dry spell.

The modest snowfall began in Lowari Top, Nehergah and surrounding areas in the morning and continued until night.

According to the Met Office, Lowari Top received 13mm rain and snow of five to seven inches.

Scattered rain was reported in the plain areas in Chitral.

Also, Dir Khas, Darora, Wari, Usheri Dara, Brawal, Sheringal and Doog Dara areas of Upper Dir received rain.

Dozens of vehicles and passengers were stranded at Lowari Top due to snowfall and rain.

The commuters including women, children, elderly people and patients, complained they’re not given permission by the authorities to use the Lowari tunnel to move on.

Salman Khan and Arsalan Khan told Dawn it was an unjust act that some people having accesses to authorities could travel via Lowari tunnel.

He said they waited for almost three to four hours along with family member in front of Lowari tunnel but the authorities denied the facility treating us as we are not citizens of this country.

According to the Swat Met Office, the rain began on Saturday noon and will continue for next two days.

“Until now, the recent rain has lashed out parts of lower Swat including Mingora city, Saidu Sharif, Matta, Khawazakhela and Kabal,” a weatherman said, adding that the rain and snowfall was recorded on the mountainous region of Bahrain and Kalam valleys.

The rain brought smiles to the faces of people living in main city of Mingora.

“This has been the longest period of drought in which we didn’t receive rain for almost four months,” said 70-year-old Mohammad Rehman of Mingora.

He said the drought-like situation, which had lasted almost four months, was the longest ever in Swat.

Alam Khan, another local resident, said the rain had brought a sigh of relief to the people of Swat.

“The prolonged drought exposed residents to many diseases as scores of people complained about respiratory track diseases and skin problems,” he said, adding that the recent wet spell would help increase the underground water level, which declined due to absence of rain in the last three months.

Different areas of Shangla district also received rain and snowfall.

The rain begins in Shangla Top, Alpuri, Chakesar, Puran, Shahpur, Martung, Dandai, Damorai, Kotkay, Shang, Bely Baba, Dehrai and Bisham on Saturday morning.

The snowfall was reported in hilly areas.

Noor Mohammad of Damorai area told Dawn that the prolonged dry spell had caused the spread of various diseases. He however said the situation would improve.

The snowfall was recorded in mountainous areas, including Speen Ghar, Gamtal, Kapar Banda and other areas.

After the start of rain and snowfall, electric supply to different areas of Shangla district was disrupted.

The rain and snowfall was also reported in Kurram Agency. The downpour was reported in plain areas including agency headquarters Parachinar, Zeran, Karman and Shlozan, while snow fell in Kohi Sufaid mountainous areas.

The upper parts of Hazara received first snowfall and rain of the season.

Light rain was also recorded in the plains in Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan districts. The rain began in the evening and continued intermittently until night.

Snowfall was reported in high mountainous areas of Kaghan, Siran and Konsh valleys in Mansehra district.

According to local residents, upper parts received light rain and snowfall but dry spell continues.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2016