SWAT/SHANGLA/DIR: Heavy snow fell in Swat, Shangla and Dir on Thursday blanketing those mountainous regions in white.

Residents complained about chilly weather and power outages.

The snowfall attracted tourists to the upper parts of Swat district. They mostly belonged to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.

The residents of Kalam and Malam Jabba areas said the snowfall began early on Thursday and continued until late evening.

Nadar Khan of Kalam said initially, the snowfall was moderate but it became heavy after 11am blanketing the entire valley in white.

He said motorists should come to the region with anti-skid tyre chains to prevent trouble. “Today, we helped around 40 drivers remove cars from sloppy roads,” he said.

The residents said three feet of snow fell in Kalam.

Snowfall was also reported in Malam Jabba, Gabin Jabba, Miandam, Sangar, Elum and Sulatanr areas.

Resident Shafiullah said heavy snow blocked roads restricting the people to their homes.

Meanwhile, tourists thronged Malam Jabba amid snowfall. They threw snow at each other and took selfies.

According to the administration of Malam Jabba Ski Resort, a two-day ski festival will begin on Friday.

Waheedullah Qarar, a spokesman for the resort said skiing and snowboard competitions would be held for professionals, while fun activities would be organised for other visitors.

He also said a musical night was part of the gala.

Deputy commissioner Junaid Khan said the district administration took emergency steps to facilitate tourists.

Bahrain assistant commissioner Ishaq Ahmad said the administration was using heavy machinery to clear roads leading to Malam Jabba and Kalam valleys.

“It’s a 24 hours exercise. The roads are open to traffic,” he said.

Also during the day, parts of Shangla district received heavy snowfall.

The new spell of snowfall began on Wednesday night in all parts of the district, especially Alpuri, Lilownai, Shahpur, Damorai, Shangla Top, Yakhtangay, Chakesar and Kandaw, taking the mercury below freezing.

The district’s main and link roads were blocked, while the residents complained about the disruption of power supply. They said the district headquarters Alpuri wore a deserted look due to heavy snowfall and biting cold.

Meanwhile, hill tops in both Lower and Upper Dir districts donned a white blanket due to heavy snowfall on Thursday morning. It also rained there, turning the weather chilly and forcing the people indoors.

Upper Dir district also recorded snowfall. Snow fell in Dir Bazaar and Sheringal University as well.

Around 10 inch snowfall was recorded near the Lowari Tunnel. However, traffic to Chitral district remained unaffected.

The administration and disaster management authority asked people to avoid unnecessary travel to hilltops for their own and others’ safety, while the tourists were told to use chains around car tyres in snow-hit areas.

Snowfall was also reported in Laram Top, Shahi Top, Sheen Ghar and Kalpani Top in Lower Dir’s Maidan area and Lajbok Dara. It rained in all parts of the district in the day.

The snowfall and rain caused a biting cold and snowfall confining the majority of people to their homes.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023