PESHAWAR: Tourists thronged hilly areas in upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as first spell of snowfall and rain continued on the third consecutive day on Wednesday, turning the weather chilly.

According to reports, it was snowing on Wednesday in Battagram district, and Kalam, Bahrain and Malam Jabba localities of Swat district and Shangla. In Parachinar and other areas of Kurram Agency it started snowing on Wednesday afternoon.

Light rain with intervals was also recorded in Peshawar, where the sky was cleared in the morning, but clouds came during the evening and gave some rain. Hailstorm was also reported in scattered areas of the capital.

According to local residents, tourists from Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and other parts of the country have reached Malam Jabba to enjoy snow.

“It is amazing to see one of the best colours of nature here. I cannot imagine that I am witnessing snowfall in my life,” said Zakia Rashid, a tourist from Karachi, who was enjoying snowfall with her family at Malam Jabba.

Many tourists said they visited and experienced snowfall in Malam Jabba for the first time in their lives. “I love the mountains, the trees and the huts covered with snow and they are so beautiful that I don’t have words to express it,” said Malik Waqar from Attock, who visited Malam Jabba for the first time in his life.

The enthusiastic tourists built snowmen and threw snowballs at each other. Some were posing for photographs and others were busy in taking selfies.

However, the tourists said they were shocked to see the bad shape of the road leading to Malam Jabba. “If this scenic and famous resort were in some other part of the country the road would be in a perfect condition,” said Zahoor Abbas form Lahore.

According to the Met office in Swat, Malam Jabba received eight inches of snowfall, which was also expected on Thursday (today).

Karakoram Highway, Yakhtangay-Puran road, and roads between Bisham and Swat remained closed for second consecutive day due to landslides. Electricity supply remained suspended in Shangla district for last three days.

About two feet of snow fell on Shangla top, Yakhtangay, Olander, Ajmeer, Kandaw, Per Khana and other parts of the district. However, district headquarters Alpuri, Bely Baba, Chakesar received four to five inches of snow.

Rain lashed Battagram, Ajmera, Chappargram, Peshora, Shamlai, Batamori and areas of Allai, while Rashang, Bateela, Biari, Banna Khapero Soka and Chail Sar areas received heavy snowfall.

Rashang and Gangwal road remained blocked due to heavy rain and snowfall.

The chilly weather also caused hike in rates of firewood, coal and LPG.

Karakoram Highway was blocked in Chatterplan area of Mansehra for several hours following heavy snowfall.

Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road was also blocked at Mahandri and Kaghan valleys.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2017