PESHAWAR: Upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received the season’s first snowfall while widespread rains continued to lash the plains across the province for the second consecutive day on Sunday.

Rain that started late on Friday in different parts of the province continued on Sunday. No casualties were reported till filing of this report.

According to the Met department, the provincial capital received 8mm rain during the spell. Many parts of Peshawar witnessed prolonged power breakdowns during the rain, while rainwater accumulated on main roads in many parts of the city.

In Swat, mountainous areas of the district, including Malam Jabba, Miandam, Madyan, Bahrain, Mankyal, Kalam, Matiltan, Utror, Gabral, Lalku, Gabin Jabba, Sulatanr, received heavy snowfall.

According to the local people, about four feet of snow was recorded in Mahodand, Utror and Kalam and three feet in Malam Jabba.

Peshawar areas witness prolonged power breakdowns

Residents in Kalam said the main Bahrain-Kalam and Kalam-Mahodand road were blocked due to heavy snowfall.

“About 50 vehicles of tourists on Bahrain-Kalam road have been stranded besides over 30 visitors at Mahodand Lake because the road remained blocked due to heavy snowfall,” said Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Kalam.

People of Kalam said the power supply in their area was also disrupted creating problems for them. As it was weekend a large number of tourists from different areas also thronged Malam Jabba, Kalam and Bahrain who started enjoying snowcapped mountains.

They were seen taking photos in the snowfall.

According to the district administration snow was being removed from the blocked roads.

“Heavy machinery has already been sent to clear the road at the Laikot area on Kalam Road,” said Swat deputy commissioner Saqib Raza Aslam.

In Abbottabad, Thandyani, Ayubia, Nathiagali, Donga Gali, Changla Gali and other hilly areas received first snowfall of the season.

At least one feet snow was recorded in Galiyats and Thandyani along with heavy rain in Abbottabad and surrounding areas, with temperatures plunging below freezing point in the area.

Due to chilly weather, gas pressure dropped in most parts of the city on Sunday resulting in problems for the people to cook meals.

In Mansehra, Kaghan valley received heavy snowfall which blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) road to traffic on Sunday.

“We have started clearing snow from MNJ road to provide safe passage to tourists coming to and going out of Kaghan valley,” KDA deputy director Mazhar Hussain Shah told mediapersons.

The snowfall, which started on Saturday evening, continued intermittently for the entire day, turning the weather chilly in the valley and rest of the district.

Heavy machinery of Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) was moved to clear the MNJ road at Rajwal and other parts of the valley. He said that tourists moved to their respective destinations after the MNJ road was cleared of snow.

The Met department predicted cloudy weather for most of the province on Sunday night.

It said scattered rain with snowfall over hills was expected in Chitral, Swat, Dir, Shangla, Buner, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Torghar, Mardan, Swabi, Mohmand, Bajaur, Khyber, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Kohat, Kurram, Hangu and Karak districts.

It also predicted partly cloudy weather for most parts of the province on Monday.

Pattan recorded 76mm of rain during the spell, Kalam 39mm, Takht Bhai 36mm, Balakot 34mm, Saidu Sharif 29mm, Kakul 24mm, Malam Jabba 23mm, Cherat 15mm, Dir 13mm, Chitral 10mm and Parachinar and Bannu 5mm each.

In Mohmand tribal district, roof of a room collapsed in Sultankhel area of Halimzai tehsil on Sunday. Sources said that five persons were rescued from the rubble by Rescue 1122.

In Lakki Marwat, the first winter rain brought joy for the local farmers who would soon start preparing their land in arid areas for cultivation.

The long dry spell had delayed sowing of wheat crop in arid parts of the district.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2020