MANSEHRA: Upper parts of Hazara Division received heaviest snowfall of the ongoing winter season that turned the weather freezing cold in the area on Tuesday.

The snowfall, which began early in the morning in Kaghan, Konsh, Siran, Spat and Kandia valleys and other high altitude parts of Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts continued intermittently throughout the day.

Many of the roads leading to the snowbound areas remained blocked because of landslides.

Because of landslides on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road, travel between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan was suspended.

Urban parts of Hazara also received rain which continued the entire day.

In Battagram, a fresh spell of snowfall and rain hit the district, dropping the temperature down remarkably.

The snowfall and downpour with cold winds lashed Battagram and its adjoining areas, including Ajmera, Chappargram, Peshora, Shamlai, Batamori, Kuzabanda of tehsil Allai, Khapero Soka and Chail Sar.

No official record was available, but it started on Tuesday and continued till evening on the day. Snowfall was also reported from remote Galey Maidan and Srei Oba areas.

No loss of life or damages to property was reported till the filing of this report.

Local residents have welcome the first snowfall of the season.

In the snow-bound hilly areas, people remained indoors due to intermittent rain and snowfall.

In Mansehra, the Kaghan development authority’s shovel machine cleared snow from the Kaghan-Balakot section of the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road after it was blocked by heavy snowfall on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2021