MANSEHRA/BATTAGRAM/SHANGLA: With mountainous parts of Hazara and Malakand divisions recording the heaviest snowfall of the current winter season, plains in the region received downpour on Monday, ending a prolonged dry period.

The snowfall and rain caused temperatures to dip below zero Celsius in some areas.

The snow began falling in the hilly tourist resorts of Shogran, Siri Paye, Siren, Konsh and Kaghan valleys early on the day and continued intermittently all through the day.

Most hilly areas, apart from Shogran and Kaghan Valley including Kandia and Spat valleys in Upper Kohistan as well as Punja Gali, Machai, Dando and Shingaldar in Torghar district, received the first snowfall of the winter season.

“We have restricted the mobility of vehicles without chains on the road from Kawai to Shogran due to snowfall, as this route is mostly steep and could cause fatal accidents when icy,” district police officer Shafiullah Khan Gandapur told reporters.

He said the entry of visitors had already been blocked to Kaghan Valley after it received its first snowfall of the season in mid-November last year.

“Visitors should prioritise their as well as their loved ones’ safety while traveling to Shogran and use chained four-wheel-drive vehicles only,” he said.

Also, the KDA removed snow from the Shogran Road.

Upper parts of the Hazara division also received downpour, which began in the early hours in Mansehra, Kolai-Palas, and Upper and Lower Kohistan districts, and continued sporadically throughout the day.

The rain exposed the blockage of sewerage lines and drains in the streets and nullahs along the Karakoram Highway, Abbottabad Road, Shinkiari Road and Lari Adda as garbage and silt floated on these roads, causing inconvenience to residents and travellers.

In Battagram, a heavy rain in the plains, coupled with snowfall on the surrounding mountains, led to a drop in temperature in the Battagram district on Monday.

The rain, accompanied by cold winds, lashed several areas, including Battagram, Ajmera, Chappargram, Peshora, Shamlai, Batamori and parts of tehsil Allai.

Meanwhile, Khapero Soka and Chail Sar received a dusting of snow.

The cold increased the demand for warm clothing and dry fruits, with shops reporting high sales.

The rainfall began early on Monday and continued until evening, bringing much-needed relief from dry spell to the area.

A heavy snowfall was reported in several towns of Shangla district that declined the temperature to the freezing point.

It snowed in district headquarters Alpuri, Yakhtangay, Shangla Top, Ajmeer, Kana, Olandar, Gamtal, Chakesar Khadang, Kandaw, Pir Sar, Kapar Banda, Spen Ghar, Lilownai, causing cold winds to sweep the region.

The snowfall disrupted traffic on the Bisham-Swat Road, Alpuri-Puran Road, Karora-Chakesar Road and Damorai-Ajmeer Road and suspended power supply in the upper parts, inconveniencing residents.

Shangla deputy commissioner Mohammad Fawad directed authorities to stay alert and vigilant to handle emergencies and reopen roads in case of their closure due to landslides and snowfall.

He also urged people to avoid unnecessary travel of roads in the district during snowfall and to chain vehicle tyres before using the road in snowbound areas to avoid any mishap.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025