Rain, snowfall turn weather cold in KP

 Lowari Tunnel closed for traffic, problems of quake victims increase

PESHAWAR: Rain and snowfall in various parts of the province have turned the weather chillier.

Rain lashed Peshawar, Mardan and other areas while Chitral, Upper Dir and other hilly areas received snowfall. In Chitral, the Lowari Tunnel was closed for traffic due to heavy snowfall.

The intermittent rain and snowfall lashed parts of Owir, Garam Chashma, Lashpur, Yarkhun, Karimabad, Trich, Arandu, Chitral city and other areas of the district. Some areas received up to one and a half feet of snowfall.

Power supply from the national grid station to Chitral was suspended, plunging a vast area into darkness. The severe cold also affected routine life in the district.

Passengers, including women and children, along with their vehicles got stuck at Lowari due to closure of the lone route to the district. Later, the personnel of the security forces, Chitral Scouts and police rescued the passengers and shifted them to Ziarat area. 

Meanwhile, the plain areas of Shangla district received rain while the mountains peaks were covered with snowfall.

The cold weather added to the problems of the families who had been affected by the October 26 earthquake. 

In Swat, too, the weather turned chilly due to rain and snowfall that affected the quake-affected people in particular.

The affectees of the October 26 earthquake have already been living a miserable life as the authorities failed to provide them basic needs.

People put on warm clothes and jackets. The rain coupled with cold breeze lashed Mingora, Barikot, Kabal, Matta and Khawzakhela areas, while scenic Malam Jabba, Kalam, Behrain, Madian and Marghuzar received heavy snowfall.