PESHAWAR: Three people were killed and four were injured in the rain and snowfall-related incidents in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said a motorcyclist was killed by a landslide in Lower Kohistan district, while another suffered injuries.

It also said two people were killed in separate incidents in Upper Dir district, while three members of a family suffered injuries in a rain-related incident in Charsadda district.

The PDMA said rains and snowfall had caused the closure of Karakorum Highway in Lower Kohistan district and roads at three places of Shangla district, five places in Abbottabad district and three places in Upper Dir.

Residents complain about road closures, power suspension, shortage of goods

It said the operations to clear the roads continued.

The landslides damaged many vehicles and blocked the Karakoram Highway at various places amid heavy rains and snowfall in upper parts of Hazara division.

Heavy boulders rolled down the mountains to block the Karakoram Highway in Shatan Pari, Barseen, Loter and Mutta Banda areas.

Landslides hit a police van and two passenger vehicles on the KKH. No damage to public life was reported.

The Frontier Works Organisation cleared half of the blocked KKH portion for light traffic.

In Hazara division, Mansehra, Torghar, Kolai-Palas and Upper and Lower Kohistan districts received heavy snow and rains for the fifth consecutive day.

The Kaghan Development Authority cleared the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road up to Rajwal from snow and landslides.

“We have restricted the entry of tourists beyond the Kaghan Bazaar, but they can come to enjoy snowfall in lower parts of the valley,” KDA inspector Moazzam Khan told reporters.

In Abbottabad, Galiyat Development Authority director-general Raza Ali Habib urged tourists not to travel to Galiyat for next two days saying Galiyat has been overcrowded with tourists in the current winter season.

He said the GDA was struggling to clear the roads from snow due to the influx of vehicles.

Heavy snowfall was reported in Abbottabad city, where the temperature dropped below freezing point, while at least two feet snow fell in Nathiagali, Ayubia, Changla Gali, Donga Gali, Bara Gali and Thandyiani and three feet on the upper hilly areas of Galiyat. The Abbottabad-Murree Road was closed to traffic, while many link roads in the district were blocked.

Two to three feet snow fell in Galiyat, especially on the Abbottabad-Murree Road and in Toheedabad, while the vehicles bound for Galiyat from Murree were stopped from moving on.

Main routes of Shangla district were cleared of snow for light traffic and electricity was restored after six days of consecutive snowfall.

The roads including Bisham-Swat, Alpuri-Puran, Karora-Chakesar roads have been cleared and snow removed while opening them for light traffic.

In Bajaur, snow and rain fell for the fifth consecutive days on Friday. The residents complained about the closure of roads, power suspension, and the shortage of wheat flour, vegetables and LPG.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2022