White blanket: Tourists stranded, roads closed in Galiyat

Kaghan Valley receives four feet of snow in January for the first time in past 15 years

ABBOTTABAD: Scores of tourists are stranded as roads in Galiyat are closed due to snow fall while temperature is below freezing point in Abbottabad district.

Nine inch to one feet snow has been recorded in Thandiyani, Ayubia, Changla Gali, Donga Gali, Bara Gali and other hilly areas of Abbottabad.

“We are waiting for a pause in the snowfall to deploy machinery for clearing the roads,” said Spokesman of Galiyats Development Authority (GDA) Ahsan Hameed.

He said that GDA engineering wing staff has been called in and they are waiting for an interval in the snow and rain spell to start work.

The local authorities have issued road advisory for the tourists advising them to contact GDA Facilitation Centre in case of any emergency or for information on road situation.

Hameed said the tourists have been asked not to travel in nigh. Besides they have been warned against taking selifies on roads due to slippery and uneven conditions which may resut in people falling and injuring themselves.

He said that according to latest updates, Murree Road is closed from Bara Gali onward while road to Ayubia is closed from Changla Gali and Tauheed Abad, Bakot to Nathiagali road is also closed while Abbottabad to Thandiyani road is also closed from Kala Pani onward.

Kaghan Valley receives record snow

Routine life came to a freezing halt as rain in Balakot and snowfall in Kaghan Valley continued for the consecutive day on Saturday.

The current snow spell has broken 15 years reacord for Kaghan Valley for the month of January. The valley, among the most visited tourist spots of Pakistan, has received up to four feet of snow in January, a record for the past 15 years. The met office forecast says that snowfall is likely to end by Sunday, while another weather system is coming next week to dump more snow in the valley.

Areas including Shogran, Bhonja, Mahandri, Kaghan and Naran were covered in a white blanket. At some places there was up to two feet of snowfall. The link roads were blocked with snow and people were stranded in their homes. Travelling on Shahrah-e-Kaghan has become hazardous due to extremely slippery conditions.

Owing to continued snowfall, temperature in Naran dropped to -6 degree centigrade, Kaghan -4 and Shogran -1 degree centigrade.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2019.