PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas received widespread rains and snowfall on Wednesday with the temperature plunging to minus seven degree Celsius in Parachinar area of Kurram Agency.

Local Met Office said Malam Jabba and Kalam area of Swat valley received at least three inches and one inch snow, respectively.

It said widespread rains had been reported in hilly and plain areas of KP and Fata.

According to it, the lowest temperature was recorded in Parachinar, where the mercury dropped to minus seven degree Celsius, followed by Kalam with the minimum temperature of minus six degree Celsius.

The rainfall recorded by the Met Office was four millimeters in Peshawar, 11mm in Risalpur, 10mm in Malam Jabba, seven millimeters in Chirat and two millimeters in Bannu.

There is a likelihood of rain falling in low-lying areas and snowfall in high-altitude areas with intervals in the next 24 hours, too.

Also in the day, the upper parts of Hazara division received rain and snowfall bringing about severe cold.

The rain, which began last night, continued to fall intermittently in parts of Mansehra, Balakot, Oghi, Torghar and Kohistan.

Snowfall was also reported in high-altitude areas of Kaghan valley.

The Kaghan Road, which was blocked earlier this month, remained closed to traffic. Severe shortage of food has been reported in the region forcing the people to relocate.

In plain areas of Timergara, the rain began on Wednesday morning and continued with intervals for the whole day. Hills in Laram Darra, Shahi Samarbagh, Luqman Banda and Kalpani Maidan received heavy snowfall on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The local residents complained about food and firewood shortage and said rains and snowfall had forced them to stay indoors.

In Shangla, heavy snowfall continued for the second day on Wednesday causing the blockade of most roads.

More than three feet snowfall was reported in upper parts of Shangla, including tourist places like Yakhtangy, Ajmeer, Peer Khana, Shangla Top, Amnavi, Kandaw.

Several road accidents were reported on Yakhtangy Road. However, no damage to human life occurred.

The people asked the relevant authorities to ensure the early opening of the roads to ease their misery.

In Swat, the temperature dropped to minus one in plains and to minus 16 in Kalam after overnight rain and snowfall.

According to the Met Office, the intermittent rain, which began late on Tuesday, continued in parts of lower Swat, including Mingora, Saidu Sharif, Matta, Khawazakhela and Kabal, for the next 24 hours.

It said snowfall was recorded on the mountains of Bahrain and Kalam valley.

The Met Office said the current spell of rain and snowfall would continue for the next two days.

Also, most parts of Bajaur Agency remained in the grip of cold wave due to rain and snowfall on Wednesday.

The rain, which began on Tuesday night, disturbed life in the region.

Heavy snowfall was reported in hilly areas in Mamond, Salarzai, Chamarkand and Nawagi tehsils bordering Afghanistan.

The rain and snowfall restricted the movement of the people, especially those living in hilly and remote areas.

In Kohat, snowfall on the mountains surrounding Kohat city has made the weather chilly, forcing the people to remain indoors and leading to early closure of shops.

The mountain in the north was also clad with snow deflecting icy winds towards the city where most of the residents preferred to stay indoors.

The Hangu belt was in the grip of severe cold after the Sherkot mountains astride the Orakzai Agency got a heavy snowfall. The situation in Darra Adamkhel was also the same where evening clamped early due to high mountains.

The residents of Thall tehsil and Hangu were braving the cold breeze coming from Kurram Agency and Sadda, which also received a heavy snowfall.

The mountains in Kohat usually receive snow during the night. The people of KDA and cantonment, the areas close to the Darra Adamkhel mountains, are using multiple layers of quilts and gas and electric heaters to keep themselves warm.

The Met Office said heavy snowfall was expected in Kurram Agency in the last week of January and first week of February.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017