Heavy snowfall continues in mountainous areas

DIR: The heavy snowfall in the plains and mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

The hills in both Lower and Upper Dir received more snowfall, residents said. They said the snowfall continued at Lowari Top, lowari Tunnel, Kumrat, Doog Dara, Ganshal and Upper Barawal in Upper Dir. Around one-an-half-feet snowfall was reported in Lowari Tunnel and one feet in Kumrat.

The district administration has directed the motorists to use snow-chains while passing through the tunnel road due to snowfall. However, the National Highway Authority ( NHA) has been clearing snow from the tunnel road with heavy machinery continuously.

The residents remained confined to their houses in the hilly areas due to heavy snowfall and severe cold. The power supply also remained disrupted in most parts of the district. Several link roads leading to Jarjoray, Doog Dara, Guldai village and Ganshal Bal remained blocked either due to heavy snowfall or landslides.

Though the administration of Upper Dir cleared the roads for vehicular traffic in different areas, the residents complained the roads remained closed due to continuous rain. Meanwhile, the local farmers have expressed happiness over the recent spell of rain and said it would have good effects on the growing wheat crops in the area.

Our correspondent adds from Mansehra: The mountainous parts of Hazara Division received heavy snowfall on the second day, blocking different arteries to traffic. The Konsh valley, Kaghan valley, Siran and tourist resort of Shogran in Mansehra district and Kandia valley and Spat valley in Kohistan received snowfall for the second consecutive day.

The link roads leading to mountainous parts and valleys were blocked owing to the snowfall. Mansehra, Balakot, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas received the rains on the second day, turning the weather cold.