Heavy snowfall cuts access to Chitral

K-P receives a fresh spell of snow, rain

ABBOTTABAD/ PESHAWAR: With snowfall continuing in hilly areas of the province, the remote town of Chitral has been cut off from the rest of the country as all road links have been blocked either due to the snow or land-sliding.

In a statement released on Monday, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Relief and Settlement Department said that Chitral and its adjoining areas have received heavy snowfall closing all roads in the district. The main road which connects Chitral with the rest of the country is also closed due to heavy snow. The Lowari Tunnel is closed owing to a landslide.

The Kalash road — which leads to the remote valleys where the ancient Kailash tribe lives — has also been blocked by heavy snow. The Darosh-Shishikoh road has been blocked after six inches of snow fell on it. The Chitral-Garam Chashma road, the Chitral-Booni road and roads in Chitral city have also been rendered impassable owing to heavy snowfall.

A spokesperson for the relief and settlement department said that the Chitral district administration has been directed to mobilise heavy machinery to clear roads.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director Zaheer Babar predicted that additional rain with snowfall over the hills is expected over the next 24 hours in various parts of K-P.

The PMD director said the expected rains will lower the temperature to the freezing point in hilly areas, while the weather would remain cold and partly cloudy elsewhere in the province.

The hill station of Malam Jabba received around 14 inches of snow.

A strong westerly wave was affecting most upper and central parts of the country and likely to persist in upper parts till Tuesday morning, he added.

Meanwhile, tourists and locals have been advised to use snow chain on their tyres An advisory in this regard was also issued by the Swat district administration on Monday for driving in Kalam, Malam Jabba and other parts of the valley.

The district administration has also made comprehensive arrangements to facilitate tourists during unusual extreme weather conditions and provide them with an opportunity to conveniently enjoy snowfall.

A spokesperson of the district administration said that concerned staffs of the district administration and police were performing their duty round the clock to facilitate and provide guidance to travellers. Currently, the spokesperson added it was snowing heavily in the hilly areas of the district and it was necessary to take precautionary measures. The district administration was fully committed to facilitating tourists, he added.

Heavy snowfall and continuous rain have paralysed life in Galiyat and adjoining hilly areas of Abbottabad.

A spokesperson for the Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) on Monday said that they have advised to tourists not to visit popular hill stations of Nathiagali, Dongagali, Changlagali, Ayubia and Thandiyani until roads are cleared as four feet snow reportedly blocks roads in the Galiyat region.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2020.