Pakistan

First snow of winter visits Harboi Hills, Ziarat and Quetta

The Met office predicted more rains and snow fall in next 24 hours.

Shezad Baloch January 21, 2015

Local residents enjoy the snow fall on the outskirts of Quetta on January 21, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

QUETTA: The first snowfall of winter in Balochistan brought smiles to the faces of the people with hills of Quetta, Kalat and Ziarat were covered in foot-deep white blanket on Wednesday.

Major parts of Balochistan, including Quetta, Mastung, Turbat, Gwadar, Lasbela, Loralai, Zhob, Pishin districts have been receiving rain showers since Monday night.

A man holding an umbrella rides a cycle in snow fall in Quetta. PHOTO: NASEEM JAMES/EXPRESS

According to Metrological office, the Harboi hills, biggest Juniper forest in Pakistan, and Zirat received a foot of snow while the hills of Quetta also received snowfall on Wednesday morning. The snow fall and rain were continued until this report was filed. The Met office has predicted that over the next 24 hours, Rain (with snowfall over the hills) is expected at scattered plces in north Balochistan (Quetta, Zhob, Kalat divisions).

Local residents enjoy the snow fall at Hana Lake on January 21, 2015. PHOTO: BANARAS KHAN/EXPRESS

Overflow in the seasonal river in Dasht area of Turbat disrupted the traffic between Turbat and Karachi, while traffic between Quetta and Chaman also remained suspended for hours due to heavy snow fall on Khojak Top.

People in Ziarat and Quetta came out in large numbers and visited the hill top and picnic points, including Hanna lake which looked like a scene out of a fairy tale, to enjoy the first snow fall of the season.

Local residents enjoy the snow fall on the outskirts of Quetta on January 21, 2015. PHOTO: AFP

However, the people also had to bear the brunt of prolonged load shedding in Quetta and other parts of the province.

Snow has covered everything in border town of Chamman. PHOTO: BANARAS KHAN/EXPRESS

The environmentalists predicted that Balochistan needs more rain to lessen the impact of ongoing spell of drought. “There is a need of more rains since there was light or almost no rains in summer,” said Faiz Kakar, the head of IUCN.

COMMENTS (1)

Dr. Asad Sadick, Germany | 9 years ago | Reply

When the media talks of the weather in Quetta they simply talk of how beautiful the valleys and mountains gleam white. Or they talk of young and old throwing snow balls at each other and are enjoying the snow. They totally ignore how the weather will develop in the next 24 hours or how the road conditions could be hazardous for motorists. That would be more important to know. Also heavy snowfall can cause severe flooding when the snow starts melting. These are important facts about the weather. Our media is terribly primitive and uneducated. They are, however, good in scandals and nonsensical political talk-shows. .

Replying to X