SHANGLA/PESHAWAR: Residents vacated houses in Karora village of Shangla district and shifted to safer places after a landslide hit the area on Sunday, officials said.

The district received three to four feet of snow which has brought life to a standstill. Officials said that Swat-Bisham road and Karora-Chakesar road were blocked due to landslides and scores of motorists were stranded in the area.

A councillor, Nazir Ahmed, told this correspondent that scores of families had vacated their houses due to heavy landslides.

Landslides had hit so many houses in 2016 and people said that the government had not taken any steps for their protection.

According to reports, other areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata also received heavy snowfall and rains. Three feet of snow was recorded in Kalam in Swat valley and 19 inch in upper Chitral.

The snowfall also severed communication links in hilly areas of the province and tribal areas.

The Met office said that Peshawar received 54mm rain, Saidu Sharif 77mm and Dir 74mm. The Lowest temperature was recorded in Parachinar where mercury plunged to minus 9 degrees Celsius. The town and its surrounding areas received moderate snow.

More rains and snow is expected during the next 24 hours, according to the Met office. Heavy snow has also been reported from Orakzai and hilly areas of Khyber Agency.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2017