Snowfall paralyses Pakistan’s northern regions, kills two in Balochistan

Severe snowfall across the country's upper areas has paralysed daily life, leaving tourists stranded and claiming two lives in a traffic accident caused by slippery road conditions.

Heavy snowfall has severely disrupted life across the upper regions, according to Express News. Link roads remain closed at multiple locations, trapping both local populations and tourists, while intense cold and hazardous driving conditions continue to hamper traffic flow.

Northern Balochistan remains in the grip of a continuing snowstorm. Dozens of vehicles are stranded on the Quetta–Ziarat highway, with over 100 tourists trapped in and around Chaman. The N-50 highway has seen disruptions at multiple points, bringing interprovincial movement to a halt. Snow and severe slipperiness triggered nine separate accidents on the highway, leaving 27 people injured.

Read: Rain and snow trigger cold wave across Pakistan

On Khojak Top, Siberian winds pushed temperatures on the N-25 Chaman–Quetta–Karachi highway down to minus 12 degrees Celsius.

Near Shela Bagh, a multi-vehicle collision on slippery roads killed two people and injured seven others.

Meanwhile, Quetta recorded its first snowfall of the winter season, intensifying the cold and disrupting urban life. Naran received six inches of snow and Shogran one and a half inches, drawing large numbers of tourists eager to experience the winter weather.

Heavy snowfall has blanketed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa districts, including Mansehra, Upper Galiyat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Kalam, Orakzai, Chitral and Khyber. In Tirah Valley, approximately 100 vehicles became stuck due to rain and snowfall, prompting authorities to relocate 35 people to safer locations.

The snowfall disrupted Shangla's electricity system, while several link roads in Chitral were forced to close. In Gilgit-Baltistan's Astore district, two to three feet of snow has accumulated in upper areas, severing land connections and confining residents to their homes.

Snowfall in Hunza and Nagar has also compounded difficulties for affected people in Chipursan, while accumulation in Chilas, Babusar Top, Nanga Parbat, Batogah, Darel and Tangir has intensified the cold. The Murree Expressway has been partially closed due to snowfall.

Read More: Mercury drops as Lahore receives intermittent winter showers; PMD warns of heavy rain, snow in north

Rescue 1122 teams continue conducting operations across the Tirah Valley, working to extract people and vehicles trapped in the snow. A spokesperson confirmed that 55 people in approximately 20 vehicles stuck at Sandana have been rescued. Teams from Khyber, Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera are participating in the relief efforts.

In Bara Batatal, a room in Sakhi Gul's house collapsed due to rain, trapping five people under debris. Rescue 1122 teams reached the location and successfully extracted all victims from the rubble, providing immediate medical assistance.