QUETTA: The first snowfall of the season hit Balochistan's capital Wednesday morning. All four mountains surrounding Quetta were covered in a carpet of white. People took time off and thronged to Hanna Lake and Hana Urak to enjoy the cold weather.

Other cities of the province, including Chaman and Ziarat, were also engulfed in snow.

The skies remained cloudy, with cold gusts of wind blowing throughout the day. People flocked to Ziarat, a popular retreat for tourists, to enjoy the valley's chilly weather. But cold temperatures come with their own problems. Residents often have to brave the weather without adequate heating, with reports of low gas pressure for days on end.

Environmentalists say Balochistan needs snow and rain to overcome its continuous state of drought.

"Snowfall helps maintain the depleting water table," Faiz Kakar, head of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Balochistan, tells Dawn.com. The Metrological Department has predicted more snow and rainfall within the next 24 hours in Quetta, Chaman and other parts of northern Balochistan.