PESHAWAR/ABBOTTABAD: With Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continuing to receive widespread rains and snow, the Galiyat Development Authority banned the entry of tourists to the region overseen by it from Abbottabad and Murree sides as a safety precaution.

No damage to public life or property was reported.

Galiyat valley in Abbottabad district received 10th spell of snowfall in the current winter season, which suspended vehicular traffic on the roads.

The snowfall resumed after a break of two days early on Friday and continued intermittently throughout the day.

Naveed Akram Abbasi, a resident of Bakot area, told Dawn over the phone that the low-lying areas of Galiyat valley received around six inches of snow, but the rain helped it melt during the daytime.

Landslides block roads, low gas pressure reported in houses

He, however, said the roads became slippery and the traffic suspended on them as the communication and works department had yet to move machinery to the rural areas for removing snow.

Ahsan Hameed, a spokesperson for the GDA, said ban was slapped on the tourists’ entry to Galiyat region for the safety of tourists.

He said the snowfall started in the area after 6am on Friday and the low-lying areas received up to 10 inches of snow and high-altitude areas, including Mushkpuri, Ayubia and Changla Gali, up to one feet of snow.

The spokesperson also confirmed that the roads connecting the rural areas to the main Abbottabad-Bariyan Road were closed due to the snowfall, but the main Abbottabad-Bariyan Road connecting the traffic from KP’s side to Murree in Punjab was open and the machinery was busy clearing the main artery.

Meanwhile, it rained heavily in the provincial capital continued until late in the afternoon.

The rainwater caused drains to overflow inundating major roads to the inconvenience of both pedestrians and motorists.

Snow also fell heavily in upper parts of Swat district, including Gabral, Utror, Usho, Kalam, Mankial, Gabin Jabba, Malam Jabba and Miandam, causing difficulties for the residents. However, tourists from different parts of the country thronged the region to enjoy snowfall.

The inclement weather led to the postponement of the three-day ski and sports festival, which was scheduled to start on Friday in Gabin Jabba area.

According to Swat deputy commissioner Junaid Khan, the festival will begin on Sunday.

Rain and snowfall was also reported in Bajaur district.

According to residents, the snow began falling in hilly areas of Salarzai, Mamund, Nawagai, Chamarkand and Barang tehsils on Thursday evening and lasted until Friday evening turning the weather cold.

The growers welcomed the rain saying it will have positive impact on their crops, especially wheat’s.

The rainfall continued to lash Upper and Lower Dir districts for the third consecutive day on Friday, while hilltops in both districts received another spell of heavy snowfall.

The residents told Dawn that snow fell in Shahi Top, Bin Shahi, Miskini Top and Ladam Top areas of Lower Dir and Brawal, Lowari Top, Thall, Kumrat and Dogdara of Upper Dir from Thursday to Friday night.

Meanwhile, the National Highway Authority cleared the road near Lowari Top and Shahi Fort from snow with the help of heavy machinery.

According to the NHA officials, the Dir-Chitral Road and surroundings of Lowari Tunnel was closed by heavy snowfall.

Several link roads in mountainous areas of Lower and Upper Dir districts remained blocked due to mudslides and floodwater in streams.

Upper parts of Hazara division also received heavy snow and torrential rains for the second consecutive day on Friday. Roads were blocked in high-altitude valleys.

The snowfall, which started in Kaghan, Siren and Konsh valleys of Mansehra, Torghar and high altitude parts of Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts, continued intermittently all through Friday turning the weather cold.

Downpour was also reported for the second day in upper parts of Hazara division.

“The Shogran Road is still blocked by heavy snow. We are on a standby to deal with any untoward situation in Kaghan valley,” Kaghan Development Authority inspector Moazzam Khan told Dawn.

He said the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road was cleared from snow to traffic up to Kaghan town, while the entry of tourists beyond that point was not allowed for their safety.

The roads leading to mountainous parts of the Siren and Konsh valleys in Mansehra district were blocked due to heavy snowfall and landslides.

The roads leading to Kandia valley, Spat valley in upper Kohistan and Kolai-Palas were also blocked due to heavy snowfall and landslides.

The rains and snowfall turned the weather cold amid complaints of low pressure of natural gas supplied to houses in some parts of Mansehra district.

The Met Department said widespread rain, thunderstormand snowfall occurred in the province.

It recorded 29mm of rainfall in Malam Jabba, 19 in Peshawar, 16 in Saidu Sharif, 14 in Bajaur, 13 in Timergara, 8 in Pattan area of Upper Dir, and five in Mirkhani and Drosh areas.

The Met Department forecast light and moderate rain and snowfall in all districts.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2022