PMD warns of more rain and snowfall

Snow, freezing temperatures disrupt life in northern areas

ISLAMABAD:

Severe snowfall and freezing temperatures have paralysed life across Pakistan's upper regions, leaving roads blocked, tourists stranded and rescue operations under way, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that another westerly weather system would bring further rain and snowfall from Sunday night (today) through Tuesday.

According to the PMD, a new westerly wave is expected to enter western parts of the country on January 25 and spread to upper regions by January 26, triggering rain, wind and thunderstorms in plains and snowfall in mountainous areas.

Authorities across K-P, G-B, Kashmir, northern Balochistan and Punjab have been placed on high alert amid fears of road closures, landslides and avalanches.

Meanwhile, life has already been severely disrupted by the ongoing spell of extreme weather. In multiple incidents linked to snow and slippery conditions, at least two people lost their lives, while dozens were injured in road accidents, particularly in Balochistan.

In the country's upper regions, heavy snowfall has blocked key highways and cut off remote communities, leaving both residents and tourists stranded.

In northern Balochistan, a snowstorm continues to batter upper districts, with dozens of vehicles stranded on the Quetta-Ziarat highway, while over 100 tourists remained stuck in vehicles in and around Chaman.

Traffic on the N-50 highway was suspended at several points, disrupting inter-provincial travel. Due to heavy snow and black ice, nine separate accidents were reported on the N-50, injuring 27 people.

At Kojak Top, icy Siberian winds pushed temperatures down to minus 12 degrees Celsius, sharply intensifying the cold. Near Shela Bagh, multiple vehicles collided due to slippery conditions, leaving two people dead and seven injured.

In Balochistan, temperatures plunged to minus 12 degrees Celsius, freezing running water and water pipelines in Quetta, Kalat, Chaman and Ziarat, triggering acute shortages of drinking water. Despite snowfall subsiding, intense cold and Siberian winds persist.

Quetta also recorded its first snowfall of the season, compounding cold-related hardships in urban areas.

Water froze in ponds, on roads and in open areas, while the Quetta–Ziarat highway remained snow-covered at multiple points. Authorities imposed a 24-hour ban on tourist travel to Ziarat, while the N-50 Zhob highway remained blocked at several locations.

Meanwhile, according to the PMD, rain with strong winds and thunderstorms is expected in Balochistan during the night of January 25 and January 26, while upper Sindh may also receive rain on January 26.

From January 26 to 27, rain and snowfall are expected in G-B, Kashmir, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Murree and the Galiyat, with intermittent gaps.

Several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Mansehra, Upper Galiyat, Shangla, Lower Dir, Mohmand, Orakzai, Kalam, Chitral and Khyber, experienced heavy snowfall.

In Tirah Valley, rain and snow left around 100 vehicles stranded, while 35 people were shifted to safer locations.

Rescue 1122 teams continued operations in snow-hit areas of Tirah Valley, rescuing stranded people and vehicles. Around 55 people travelling in 20 vehicles were rescued at Sandana, with teams from Khyber, Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera participating.