QUETTA: Quetta, Ziarat, Kan Mehtarzai, Muslim Bagh, Khanozai, Sanjavi, Duki, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakari and other towns of Balochistan on Sunday received snowfall and rains triggering a severe cold wave as mercury dropped to freezing point.

There were reports of gas suspension and power supply disruption in various areas due to snowfall and rains.

The Met Office has predicted that heavy rains and snowfall will continue to hit the province till next five days under a new system which entered Balochistan on Sunday.

The rains and snowfall broke a long dry spell as the province did not receive rains and snowfall last year and Quetta’s famous Hanna Lake and other water resources had dried up.

The rains and snowfall started on Sunday in Quetta, Ziarat, Kan Mehta­rzai, Muslim Bagh, Khanozai, Sanjavi, Duki, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakari and other parts of Balochistan.

In Ziarat and other areas snow started falling early in the morning and it continued to fall throughout the day with brief intervals.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2022