Snowfall continues in upper Hazara for second day

MANSEHRA: A fresh spell of heavy snowfall at high altitude of upper Hazara division continued for the second consecutive day on Sunday, leading to freezing temperature in the entire district.

The heavy snowfall that started in Kaghan valley, Siren, Konsh in Mansehra, Kandia valley in Kohistan and Torghar early on Saturday, continued intermittently the entire day.

The residents of upper parts of Kaghan valley, who were facing shortage of foods following blockade of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road, continued to shift to Balakot, Mansehra, Abbottabad and other parts of Hazara.

"We have relocated the Kaghan Police Station to Mahandri area of Balakot tehsil as people migrated to lower areas due to heavy snowfall and blockade of roads," Kaghan Police Station SHO Tariq Khan told reporters.

He said that Gattidas, Baiser, Barawai, Battakundi, upper and lower Soch and Lake Saiful Muluk checkposts were already closed and now Kaghan Police Station was also relocated.

Hotels were also closed completely in the valley following heavy snowfall."Our hotels area closed since start of snowfall and now watchmen and other remaining staff has also started leaving Naran," said Saith Matiullah, president of hoteliers association in Kaghan, while speaking to reporters.

He said that Kaghan-Naran section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road, which was blocked since start of snowfall in the valley earlier last week, could not be reopened.

He said it was the coldest winter this time over the past one decade. Also, in the day, various parts of Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan districts received rains following interval of two days.