QUETTA: Quetta valley and parts of northern and central Balochistan are in grip of chilly Siberian winds which brought the mercury down to minus 7 degrees Celsius in the provincial capital and minus 9 in Kalat on Friday.

The winds continued to lash the valley and adjoining areas over the past 48 hours after the first snowfall of the current season, forcing people to stay at home.

Take a look: In pictures: Quetta sees first snowfall of the season

Roads and streets in the city presented a deserted look and water froze in pipelines. Gas supply to several areas was suspended and the gas pressure dropped in main city areas, adding to People’s hardship.

“We have not been getting gas for two days,” said Qazi Mohammad Younis of Greenbelt area of Jinnah Town.

Gas supply was also severely affected in Ziarat, Pishin, Mastung, Kalat and some other areas, though officials of Sui Southern Gas Company had claimed that there would be no shortage in Quetta and major towns after the supply from the Zarghoon gas field to the provincial capital.

“The government should take notice of gas suspension and low pressure severely affecting the people of Quetta and other areas,” Banaras Khan, a resident of Killi Deba, told Dawn.

Water freezes in pipelines, gas supply suspended

The situation in Pishin is the same. “We have not been getting gas for several days,” Mohammad Hashim Kakar of Pishin said, adding that the people of Ziarat and other areas were facing the same problem.

Considerably warm areas — Noshki, Dalbandin, Nokundi, Sibi and Nasirabad – were also in grip of cold wave.

The Met office forecast a further drop in temperature in Quetta and northern and central Balochistan over the next 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2015