Snow cripples K-P, 9 dead in Chitral

.Avalanches, road closures disrupt life; rescue operations underway, more snow forecast

ISLAMABAD:

A powerful spell of snowfall has crippled daily life across large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, cutting off road links, knocking out electricity and communication networks, and triggering a deadly avalanche in Lower Chitral that claimed nine lives, officials said on Friday.

Meanwhile, authorities warned that another spell of rain and snow is expected early next week under a fresh westerly system.

In Shangla district, torrential snowfall brought life to a complete standstill as both mountainous and plain areas were blanketed in snow.

Power supply, telephone services, internet connectivity and operations of local micro-hydel power stations were entirely disrupted. All major roads linking Shangla with Swat and other adjoining districts were closed, leaving several areas isolated.

Batagram and its tehsil Allai witnessed record snowfall after eight years, with residents confined to their homes as roads became impassable and the power system collapsed.

The intense snowfall, which began on Thursday night and continued till late Friday, sharply increased cold intensity across the district. Peripheral areas, including Chattar Plain, were also badly affected, severely disrupting routine life.

The human toll was most severe in Lower Chitral, where an avalanche struck a house in the Domel area of Drosh Arandu, killing nine people, including four women and five men, and critically injuring a child.

Rescue teams, district administration officials and local residents rushed to the scene, while the Pakistan Army and Rescue 1122 assisted in the operation.

Despite harsh weather and difficult terrain, rescuers retrieved all bodies from the snow debris. The injured child was provided immediate medical aid and shifted to a nearby hospital, while the deceased were transported to their native village in Drosh Wardab.

Rescue officials acknowledged that heavy snowfall hampered operations but said timely action ensured the completion of rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, Abbottabad city received its first snowfall in nine years, while Thandiyani recorded nearly four feet of snow. Nathia Gali, Donga Gali, Ayubia, Changla Gali and surrounding hilly areas experienced the heaviest snowfall, ranging between three to four feet, further straining infrastructure and mobility across the region.

Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert as weather conditions remain severe in the upper districts.

Rescue operations

The worst-hit areas included Tirah Valley in Khyber district, Shangla, Lower Chitral and Murree, where snowfall blocked roads, cut power supplies and complicated the movement of both residents and displaced families.

Rescue teams were deployed in multiple locations as provincial authorities, the military and district administrations scrambled to respond to emergencies amid deteriorating weather conditions.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi said on Friday that a comprehensive rescue operation was underway to assist people affected by heavy snowfall in Tirah Valley and adjoining areas.

"The operation is ongoing in Tirah valley, Painda Cheena, Dawatoi and Bagh Maidan on the directives of Rescue 1122 director general," he said in a statement, adding that 23 operational vehicles and more than 100 rescue personnel were taking part in the operation.

In an update, Rescue 1122 said that 50 stranded vehicles and around 100 affected people had been rescued from Tirah. "The affected people have been shifted to safer locations, and the rescue operation is ongoing," the statement said.

The snowfall compounded difficulties for residents of Tirah who had already begun vacating their homes amid a planned military operation against militants in the restive valley.

Hundreds of displaced families were left stranded on roads on Thursday due to delays in the registration process, which was suspended later in the evening as snowfall intensified.

A statement issued by the Khyber deputy commissioner's office on Friday said that, on the directives of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, efforts were underway to shift internally displaced persons stranded due to snowfall to safer locations.

"The stranded families were shifted to Painda Cheena School and hostel, and a consignment of relief goods was also delivered at the location during the night," the statement said, adding that all families were provided blankets while children received sweaters and other essential items.

According to the DC office, relief activities continued from Nangrosa to Dawatoi and from Dawatoi to Bagh Maidan, with Rescue 1122 teams evacuating women and children first, followed by men. Rescue and relief operations continued late into the night to ensure all families were safely moved.

On Thursday night, CM Afridi said the people of Tirah were stranded due to "forced evacuation" and assured that district administrations and provincial resources were being mobilised to assist them.

"The district administration, as well as the resources of the entire province are being used to help them. People are trapped in about three places," he said, adding that some families were being shifted to nearby homes and designated locations.

He noted that communication with some stranded people remained difficult due to blocked roads and a lack of mobile signals, and said he was personally monitoring the rescue efforts.

Life disrupted in Shangla, Murree

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in Shangla district blocked major roads, including the Karakoram Highway, and disrupted electricity supply across large areas.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), snowfall was reported across most northern districts of the province from Thursday night into Friday morning, leading to road blockages in several areas.

Efforts were underway to reopen key routes, it said.

Bakht Alam Khan, tehsil council chairman of Chakesar, said the community had been praying for snowfall after a prolonged dry spell severely affected agriculture and worsened water shortages. He said while road closures were temporary, the snowfall would help replenish water resources.

In Murree, snowfall began on Thursday evening, with some areas receiving up to two feet of snow. Up to 14 inches of snow was recorded in the Sunny Bank area, while Galliyat and the northern parts of the city experienced heavier accumulation.

Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Shirazi said restrictions had been placed on the entry of vehicles into the city due to the weather conditions. However, no roads had been closed, and tourists already present were able to move within the city.

He said the district administration was closely monitoring the situation. Some vehicles that got stuck at Chitta Mor and near Mussiaree on the Murree Expressway were later rescued.

More rain, snow forecast

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned that another spell of rain and snowfall is expected from Sunday night to Tuesday under the influence of a westerly wave.

"A westerly wave is likely to approach western parts of the country on January 25 (Sunday) and likely to grip upper parts of the country on January 26," the Met Office said.

Under its influence, rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall are expected in several parts of Balochistan, upper Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, including Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, between January 26 and 27, with occasional gaps.