Siberian winds freeze Quetta, other Balochistan cities

QUETTA: Quetta and northern districts of Balochistan saw a spell of rain and snowfall on Saturday as well. The bone-chilling weather not only quietened the bustling markets but also thinned traffic on roads in the provincial capital of Quetta, Pishin and other cities.

Continuous low gas pressure and frequent power outages also came with the cold weather in Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Muslim Bagh, Ziarat, Mastung and other cities of the province.

Snowfall and landslides also caused the closure of Khojak Pass and Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan national highway. Long queues of vehicles have been witnessed on the closed roads with people trapped in them. Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear the roads.

Fresh spell of snowfall and rains started on Friday night. The temperature has fallen to below freezing level due to Siberian winds in Quetta and northern districts. It was -2 to -5 Celsius in Quetta. According to a weather forecast, the chilling weather would continue for some days.