Fresh rain, snowfall add to chill in hilly areas

MANSEHRA/CHITRAL: The upper parts of Hazara and Chitral on Saturday received heavy snowfall and rain bringing the mercury down to freezing point.

The rain, which was started in plains in the wee hours, continued intermittently throughout the entire day in Mansehra, Torghar and Kohistan districts.

The high mountainous parts of Upper Hazara also received heavy snowfall the entire day.

According to locals, Kaghan valley, Siran valley, Konsh and other hilly parts of division received the snowfall the entire day, blocking links roads to vehicular traffic.

The links roads mostly blocked in hilly areas during the previous spell of snowfall couldn’t be reopened to traffic, causing inconvenience to locals.

According to the Met office, the temperature in Kaghan had fallen to below freezing point gripping the division into severe cold.

Several link roads in Battagram district were also cut off from the rest of the district due to heavy snowfall.

Meanwhile, Chitral town and nearby areas received another spell of rain and snowfall on Saturday afternoon.

In an advisory, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (formerly FOCUS) said according to the weather forecast there were chances of heavy snowfall from January 19.

Because of the rain/snowfall in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, there will accumulation of snow on glaciers, avalanches and landslides in the area.

The agency asked the dwellers to take precautionary steps in accordance with the weather conditions and avoid unnecessary travels, especially in land-sliding and avalanche prone areas. They should also avoid living or staying in houses which might not be in a position to withstand heavy snowfall.