Covered in white: Shangla worst-hit by snow as province faces extreme weather

As a result of snowfall, four cars crashed in Yakhtangy

CHITRAL/ SWAT/ DIR/ SHANGLA: Rain and snowfall continued in various parts of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Wednesday, forcing people to remain indoors.

Shangla was worst-hit by extreme weather conditions. Snowfall started on Tuesday night and continued till Wednesday. As a result, the district was disconnected from other parts of the country. According to a local, at least five inches of snow has been recorded in Alpuri.

“Meanwhile upper parts of Shangla – Yakhtangy, Shangla Top, Peer Khana, Ajmer and Chakesar Kandaw – received two feet of snow,” he said.

He added upper parts of Shangla were also in the grip of a snowstorm that disrupted electricity supply and other communication links.  At least four cars crashed in Yakhtangy due to heavy rainfall. However, no loss to human life was reported. Snowfall also wreaked havoc in the plains of Puran, Bely Baba and Chakesar. People in these areas are experiencing difficulties as all link roads have been closed for traffic and there is also shortage of food and firewood.

Tehsil Union Council Member Javed Iqbal told The Express Tribune, “Two to five feet of snow has been recorded in Damorai, while earthquake victims have been compelled to live under the open sky and brave the harsh weather.”

He added the government should provide relief to these people in their hour of need. The district administration has advised people travelling to hilly areas to use chains on tyres of their vehicles to avoid skidding. The administration and the communication and works department have started efforts to remove snow from the main road and will soon open it for traffic.

Mercury continues to drop

The mercury continued to drop due to the Siberian winds. Upper areas of K-P, including Chitral, Dir and Swat, received periodic light showers while the hill tops got snowfall that further decreased the temperature.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Peshawar region recorded -4 degrees Celsius as the lowest temperature and predicted foggy, partially cloudy, cold and dry weather in most parts of K-P and Fata. The cold winds dropped the temperature in the provincial capital to 2 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature remained 17 in the day.

PMD official Mansoor Khan said, “We have not received any reports regarding snowfall and rain in the districts where the department has their observatories.”

He added, “It might be possible that mountain tops have received snowfall. The existing cold winds will continue to buffet the region till the end of this month.”

Meanwhile, roads leading to Peshawar and other areas including Lowari Tunnel, have remained blocked after 30 inches of snow were recorded in Chitral.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.