Snowfall triggers road closures in upper parts of Hazara

MANSEHRA: The upper parts of Hazara Division on Saturday received heavy snowfall, blocking roads and turning the weather cold.

The snowfall, which started in mountainous parts of the division early in the morning, continued interdentally the entire day.

The tourist resorts of Shogran, Kaghan, Siran and Konsh valleys in Mansehra and hilly parts of Torghar, Kolai-Palas, Upper Kohistan and Lower Kohistan districts received heavy snowfall, blocking main arteries due to the slippery road condition and landslides.

The four-wheelers were stuck at the main artery linking Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road with Shogran resort due to slippery conditions of the road. The police personnel posted at the Kaghan post didn’t allow tourists and locals to go beyond that specific point fearing landslides amid snowfall on Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.

The Karakoram Highway was blocked to traffic in Chattar Plain, a boundary between Mansehra and Battagram, after the area received heavy snowfall.

The Baffa-Pakhal Tehsil Municipal administration officials cleared the artery to traffic after an hour through tractor machines.

Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi, the managing director of Saibaan Development Organisation, who moved to the Chattar Plain area with his staff, said that tourists and motorists should be vigilant in driving through the snowy areas. He said that the district administration had also warned tourists against travelling to landslides-prone and snowy parts to avoid any mishap.

The planes of the division also received heavy downpour intermittently the entire day, turning the weather chilly.