At least 14 killed as heavy rain, snow lashes parts of country

Winter has started taking a toll as rain and heavy snowfall claimed at least 14 lives and left several others injured in different parts of the country.

Life at in many areas of Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) has come to a standstill as Siberian winds wreaked havoc whereas various cities in Punjab also witnessed torrential downpour.

A number of houses caved in due to the heavy rain in Quetta. Five members of a family also suffocated to death as a result of gas leak, whereas an Avalanche in Neelum Valley buried four students out of which one died and three were later rescued.

Quetta-Ziarat National Highway was closed for traffic due to the second spell of snowfall. More than two feet of snow has fallen as of now. The Quetta-Karachi highway is also closed at Mastung due to snowfall, causing hundreds of travellers to get stuck.



Vehicles are left stranded at the Khojak top near Chaman after heavy snow.

Amid freezing temperatures, gas pressure reduction and load-shedding added to the miseries of the people in parts of the province.

K-P

Rain and snowfall continued in parts of K-P including Peshawar, Hazara and Malakand divisions, Kohat, Orakzai and Chitral.

All routes to Chitral including Lowari Tunnel were blocked whereas electricity supply has also been disrupted.

The local administration has warned residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay alert.



According to the Met department, rain and snowfall is likely to continue from today.

The cold weather has compelled residents to stay indoors. Shortage of gas or electricity in the area has added to the difficulties of the residents.

Two people died in Pattoki as a passenger vehicle collided with a trailer on a slippery road.

Heavy rain caused a house roof to collapse in Rajanpur leaving three dead and five others injured.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued warnings of flash floods and heavy snowfall for some district of Balochistan which may cause closure of roads.

It has also warned of landslides and avalanches in Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Malakand and Hazara divisions.