Swat, Shangla and Hazara receive rain, snowfall

MINGORA ALPURI/ MANSEHRA :Heavy rain continued to lash the entire Swat, Shangla districts and Hazara division while intermittent snowfall was reported from the tourist areas of Kalam, Malam Jabba, Mahodand, and the surrounding mountains.

Following the torrential rains and snowfall, the weather chilled and the cold intensified throughout the district, which attracted domestic and international tourists to Swat’s upper tourist destinations.

Since the start of rainfall on Monday night, visitors have been enjoying the cold winds coupled with snowfall in Kalam and other areas, where the tourists had set up camps. Snowfall continued in the upper parts of Swat Valley, including Malam Jabba, Kalam, Gabin Jabba, and surrounding regions.

Due to the snow-covered roads, traveling without tyre chains could lead to accidents.On the other hand, cops were performing on the roads in tourist areas to provide all possible assistance to visitors as per the directive of District Police Officer Nasir Mehmood.Tourists and drivers have been asked to be cautious while traveling in snow-covered areas. They were advised to use tyre chains to avoid any untoward incidents.

Drivers and tourists visiting the valley were also advised to contact Helpline 15 or Swat Police Control at 0946881374 in case of any emergency.Meanwhile, light snowfall was recorded in the mountainous areas of Shangla, while heavy rainfall continued in residential areas. The district administration issued an advisory urging both tourists and locals to avoid unnecessary travel during the rain and snowfall.

Following heavy rain, cold winds took over the mountainous areas of Shangla, bringing back the winter chill.The intensity of the cold significantly increased. The spell of rainfall, which began on Monday and Tuesday night, later turned into light snowfall in the high-altitude areas.

Light snowfall was reported in the mountain ranges of Alpuri, Lelonai, and Kana, while Shangla Top, Yakh Tangi Top, and other upper regions, including Kundao and Manei, experienced snowfall.

It is noteworthy that snowfall in Shangla’s high-altitude regions typically begins in December. However, this year, no significant snowfall or rain was recorded in December and January.The high-altitude areas of Hazara experienced snowfall, while the plains received heavy rainfall.

Snowfall, which began in the early hours, continued throughout the day in Kaghan Valley, Siren Valley, Konsh Valley, and the hilly areas of Mansehra, as well as Kandia Valley and Spat Valley in Kohistan.The fresh spell of snowfall also blocked link roads in the mountainous areas of the division, adding to the hardships of residents.

Police teams deployed in the lower parts of Kaghan Valley and the tourist resort of Shogran restricted the entry of tourists and motorists into snowbound areas within their respective jurisdictions.

“We have deployed police personnel on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road and the road linking it to Shogran to ensure the safety of visitors and motorists,” District Police Officer Shafiullah Khan Gandapur told reporters.

He urged visitors to avoid going beyond the designated points set by the police, as doing so could put their lives at risk.“We have taken all possible measures and deployed police personnel to prevent tourists from sneaking into the prohibited snowy areas of Kaghan Valley and Shogran,” Gandapur added.

He mentioned that in a recent incident, two foreign visitors were stranded at the Koh-i-Makra base camp due to snowfall and inclement weather, and police rescued them safely after 19 hours.Meanwhile, Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan, and Kolai-Palas received heavy rainfall.

The rain, which began in the early hours, continued intermittently throughout the day.Water flooded parts of the Karakoram Highway and the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road in various areas of Mansehra and Kohistan districts, temporarily disrupting traffic.No loss of life due to rain or snowfall has been reported anywhere in the division.