PESHAWAR: High altitude areas of Malakand and Hazara divisions received heavy snowfall that resulted in blockade of roads as downpour continued across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas on Wednesday.
Met office in Peshawar said that 21 and 20 inches of snow fell in Malam Jabba and Kalam, respectively. An official said more snow in mountainous areas and rains in plains were expected during next 24 hours.
The Abbottabad-Murree road from Bagnotar onward was closed to traffic due to continuing snowfall in Nathiagali.
Reports suggested that heavy snowfall had badly affected movement of vehicular traffic in Kalam, Malam Jabba, Nathiagali, Baragali, Kaghan, Naran and parts of Shangla district and Bajaur Agency.
Minimum temperature in Kalam and Parachinar was minus seven degree Celsius. Continued rains and snowfall have also caused power breakdown in remote areas of the province and Fata.
Rain continues to lash plain areas in KP, tribal region
According to Met office, 53 millimeters rain was recorded in Kalam, 29mm in Upper Dir, 33mm in Pattan, 21mm in Chitral, 38m in Malam Jabba, 22mm in Saidu Sharif, 34mm in Balakot, 22mm in Parachinar, 11mm in Peshawar and 21mm in Kakul.
MANSEHRA: The upper parts of Hazara received rain and snowfall on second consecutive day on Wednesday.
The rain which had started on Tuesday continued intermittently the entire day on Wednesday in Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan districts. Continued rains in upper parts of Hazara caused severe cold.
The roads, which were blocked earlier this month with the start of snowfall in Kaghan valley, couldn’t be reopened to traffic as yet causing miseries to locals.
MINGORA: Residents of Malam Jabba said they were faced with multiple problems due to closure of the main road after the heavy snowfall.
The heavy snowfall blocked the road from Manglor to Malam Jabba causing problems to the residents. Many tourists also complained about the security forces for not allowing them to go to Malam Jabba to participate in a ski championship which started on Wednesday.
KHAR: Heavy downpour paralysed routine life for the third consecutive day on Wednesday in Bajaur Agency. Electricity supply to many parts of the agency remains disrupted for last three days.
Local people told Dawn that power supply to their areas had been suspended since Monday. According to reports, few houses have been collapsed in different areas owing to rain. However, according to the local administration, no causality was reported.
SHANGLA: Heavy snowfall in upper reaches for last five days blocked the Swat-Bisham and Yakhtangy-Puran roads.
Plain areas, including Alpuri, Lelonai, Bely Baba, Dehrai and Basi, also received snowfall on Wednesday. Local people complained about blockade of roads and suspension of electricity supply.
Five to six feet of snow had fallen in Yakhtangy, Speen Ghar, Gamtal, Kandaw and Kapar Banda areas until Wednesday.
KOHAT: A power breakdown hit the district as heavy rains continued on third consecutive day on Wednesday.
Pesco officials were unable to remove the fault till filing of this report on Wednesday night. They said heavy showers were hindering the repair work that was why they could not give any specific time of power restoration.
The adjoining mountains in Bosti Khel area of Darra Adamkhel and Orakzai Agency received heavy snowfall, which turned the weather chilly in Kohat.
Published in Dawn January 26th, 2017