PESHAWAR: A severe cold wave continued to sweep Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjacent tribal region on Wednesday with the temperature dropping to minus 16 degrees Celsius in Kalam area of Swat valley.

A meteorologist said a dry and very severe cold weather persisted in the region and this weather would continue for the next two days.

“Severe cold has engulfed the entire region after snowfall and heavy rains,” he said.

Hilly areas of the province including Kalam received more than five feet snow that ended the prolonged dry spell.

No mishap related to the extreme cold weather was reported in any part of the province, said a spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

There were reports that residents of the mountainous areas like Kalam, Shangla, Bisham, Upper Dir and Chitral were stranded in homes after heavy snowfall few days ago.

A resident of Shangla told Dawn that there was no electricity in the area aggravating life.

He said the wise people had stocked food in homes.

The resident said drinking water pipes were blocked due to the frozen water in the area.

Northern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas received heavy snowfall last week which triggered cold wave across the region. According to the Met Office, the cold wave swept Kalam Valley, where the mercury plunged to minus 16 degree Celsius.

Like hilly areas, the cold wave also hit plains of KP.

Risalpur Town adjacent to Mardan district witnessed chilly weather, where the minimum temperature was as low as minus four degree Celsius on Wednesday.

The mercury in southern city of Bannu fell to minus two degree Celsius as sleet occurred in the area adjacent to North Waziristan Agency.

Locals said the sleet caused damages to crops.

The Met Office said temperature was minus six in Malam Jaba skiing resort, minus eight in Dir, minus four in Kakol and minus four in Parachinar, Kurram Agency.

The residents of Peshawar baffled by the sudden and extreme cold weather were also experiencing problems like drop in the pressure of natural gas used for cooking and heating houses.

The temperature fell to the minimum of one degree of Celsius for the first time this winter. Hazara region is also in the grip of harsh cold weather. The tourist hotspots like Nathiagali, Thandyani and Naraan and Kaghan valleys were also cold as the temperature fell below the freezing point.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2017