The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned against road closures and landslides from January 26 to 27 in the country’s upper parts due to heavy snowfall, advising citizens to remain “extra cautious”.
In a statement, the Met Office said that in the next couple of days, “heavy snowfall may cause road closure/slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum valley, Bagh, Poonch, Haveli, Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, Qila Saifullah, Nushki, Harnai and Zhob.”
It further cautioned that there was a “possibility of landslides/avalanches in hilly areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir” during the period.
The PMD advised tourists to “remain extra cautious and avoid unnecessary travel during the next two days.”
Heavy snowfall, avalanches and landslides have brought life to a standstill across KP, Balochistan, GB and Azad Kashmir (AJK), blocking roads, stranding travellers and disrupting electricity and relief operations amid freezing temperatures.
On Friday, at least nine members of a family were killed when a snow avalanche buried their house in Chitral.
’Cold winds likely in most parts of country’
According to the Met Office, “The western system is likely to affect southwestern Balochistan from tonight (Sunday) and grip the western and upper parts of the country from Monday.”
Setting off today, “mainly cold and dry weather” was expected in most parts of the country, while “very cold and partly cloudy” in upper KP, AJK and GB, the Met office added.
“Cold winds are also likely in most parts of the country,” it said. “However, partly cloudy weather with rain-wind/thunderstorm and snowfall is likely in southwestern Balochistan.”
For tomorrow, it also forecasted cloudy weather with intermittent rains, thunderstorms, and snowfall in KP, Kashmir, GB, Balochistan and upper Punjab. “Heavy falls with moderate to intense snowfall” were likely to hit hilly areas, the PMD added.
Furthermore, rains and thunderstorm was also likely in South Punjab and upper Sindh on Monday, the Met Office said.
Roads blocked, power disrupted in Shangla after snow
Meanwhile, life in KP’s Shangla has been at a standstill for the fourth consecutive day as most key and link roads have been blocked to traffic, and power supply has been disrupted across the district.
Upper parts of the district had received up to four feet of snow in the recent spell of snowfall, which was termed the heaviest snowfall in 13 years by residents.
The snowfall caused road blockades and suspension of power supply, paralysing the local routine life.
Residents say that most major and link roads, including the Bisham-Swat and Alpuri-Puran roads, have been closed to all types of traffic for the fourth day since the snow blanketed the area.
Local Jamaat-i-Islami leader Dayan Ghafar told Dawn that life has been “completely disrupted” in the Puran tehsil as all entry and exit routes of the district remained blocked due to heavy snowfall.
He further said power supply poles and transformers had collapsed in more than 20 places alone in the Puran tehsil.
Mazhar Ali, a resident of Lilownai village, told Dawn that their link road has been closed for all sorts of traffic, confining them to their houses.
He said the KP Communication and Works Department had started work on snow removal, but they were taking time because there was massive snow on the roads and limited machinery was available withthe district administration.
Meanwhile, the Chakesar Tehsil administration said in its statement that four roads had been cleared for traffic on Sunday and work on others continued.
However, the residents of Shangla demanded that the elected representatives — including MNA Amir Muqam, his son Senator Niaz Ahmad Khan, and his brother, KP Assembly Opposition Leader Ibadullah Khan — come forward and play their due role in rehabilitation work.
