Snow blankets Kaghan Valley

KDA restricts entry to Kaghan Highway due to weather conditions

BALAKOT:

Balakot and its neighbouring areas have been experiencing continuous rainfall since last night, with certain areas in the Kaghan Valley witnessing temperatures dipping below freezing point, following a substantial five-inch snowfall in Naran, Batakundi, Lake Saif-ul-Malook, and surrounding vicinities.

The heavy snowfall has led to the closure of Kaghan Highway beyond Naran due to the increased risk of landslides and glacier movements. Moazzam Khan, a representative from the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA), confirmed the highway's closure for traffic beyond Naran due to safety concerns.

For travelers eager to enjoy in the snowfall, Naran remains accessible, where the Kaghan Development Authority has deployed personnel and equipment to assist and guide visitors. However, the chilly weather has intensified with the recent rainfall and snowfall. Several areas including Lake Saiful Malook, Batakundi, and Jalkhad have recorded temperatures plummeting to minus three degrees Celsius, with other regions experiencing sub-zero temperatures.

The Meteorological Department forecasts this cycle of rain and snowfall to persist intermittently over the next 24.

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Winter’s challenges

With the onset of winter, firewood has become scarce and inaccessible with locals in the picturesque Kaghan Valley reliant on supplies they stored during the preceding seasons.

It becomes a challenge to cook food and acquire food at higher altitudes, particularly after snowfall.

Locals who have witnessed many such winters store wood and food, and ration its usage so that it lasts till spring. The winters also result in the closure of roads, with parts of the valley inaccessible and people confined to their homes.

Abdul Ghafoor, who lives in the Bhunja Noori Valley, says he only steps out when wrapped in layers of warm clothing. He said locals rely on a diet of locally-grown potatoes, beans, bottle gourds, and chicken. “It keeps the body at a suitable temperature,” said Ghafoor.

Wajid Ali Khan, the headmaster at the local school, added that the trout from the Kunhar River was another source of protein and helped locals meet their dietary requirements.

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He said most households prepare desi ghee at home, which he claimed was the secret to the healthy life of the people in the valley.

Ilyas Khan, who is part of the local council in Balakot, pointed out that parts of the valley were already cut off with more than four feet of snow in different places.

Khan said it also resulted in power disruption and a breakdown of communication channels, with locals sometimes feeling trapped.

He urged the government to take steps to bring ease to the lives of locals while calling for measures to improve winter tourism. “Winter tourism will be a lifeline for locals who often don’t have any earning opportunities due to the weather conditions,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2023.