CHITRAL/UPPER DIR: Hundreds of passengers had to pass night in their vehicles near Lowari tunnel in sub-zero temperature as the road received about eight inches snow that made it impossible for the drivers to ascend it.

The passengers including women, children and patients had to wait for Thursday morning when the road was cleared of snow and the vehicles moved forward.

Ajmal Khan, a passenger travelling to Rawalpindi with his family of four, told Dawn by telephone that they faced an awkward and dangerous situation as the vehicles could neither go upward nor they could return due to snow.

He complained that National Highway Authority made an inordinate delay in clearing the road to vehicular traffic on Thursday morning.

Hilly areas in Chitral and Upper Dir receive heavy snowfall

The snowfall continued throughout the night as a result of which different valleys received snow of different amount. Baroghil valley received 20 inches snow, Gobor valley 13 inches, Khot 12 inches and Laspur received 11 inches snow.

Vehicular traffic to a number of areas including Terich, Melp, Upper Oveer, Authool, Charun Oveer, Karimabad and Gobor valleys remained suspended.

In Upper Dir, the hilly area received heavy snowfall while the plain areas including Dir city also witnessed the first snowfall of this winter.

Snowfall started in Lowari Top, Belanzai, Dobando Dara, Qulandi, Hayagai, Kumrat, Doog Dara, Usheri Dara, Brawal, Nehag Dara and other areas on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

The snowfall continued on Wednesday with short intervals.

Lowari Top, Kumrat, Doog Dara and others hilly areas received one to one and a half feet snowfall while plain areas including Dir city and its surroundings received up to two to three inches of snowfall.

Met Office said that Dir city received 11 millimeter rain while minimum temperature of the city was recorded as 0.5 centigrade.

Tourists from various areas of the country thronged Kumrat, Lowri tunnel and others picnic spots to enjoy the snowfall. The local residents also enjoyed the first snowfall of the season.

Many links roads in the hilly areas of the district remained closed to traffic due to heavy snowfall. The residents of hilly areas remained indoors.

Supply of electricity to most areas even Dir city also remained suspended for hours. Supply of electricity to most of the areas could not be restored due to which the residents faced difficulties.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2020