QUETTA: Northern and central parts of Balochistan experienced chilly weather on Monday after cold Siberian winds lashed them following snowfall and rains.

Quetta was among those cities and towns in these parts of the province which received snowfall and rains.

Northern and central parts of Balochistan had been experiencing a completely dry spell over the past 11 months. During this dry spell the famous Hanna Lake and nearby dams dried up, affecting supply of water to Quetta and other areas.

The snowfall and rains started in the morning and continued till afternoon with at brief intervals.

After the snowfall, mountains in Quetta valley wore a beautiful white snow cover. Siberian winds started blowing in the provincial capital and other areas in the morning, dropping temperature in these areas to below freezing.

While the chilly weathered forced majority of people to stay indoors, there were some who thronged Urak valley, some 21km away from Quetta city, to enjoy the weather. After the snowfall and rains, people in Quetta and other areas faced the problem of absence of gas supply or low gas pressure.

Central areas of Quetta received low gas pressure during the day while gas supply was suspended in areas on the outskirts of the city.

Pishin, Kalat, Mastung, Magochar, Ziarat, Qilla Abdullah, Khojak Pass, Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakari, Gulistan, Muslim Bagh and Khanozai were among the areas which received rains and snowfall throughout the day with brief intervals. In some areas vehicular traffic was also affected.

The meteorological department has forecast more snowfall and rain in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2018