.Avalanches and road closures disrupt life; ongoing rescue operations, new snow forecast
Tourists enjoy a drive as it snows heavily in Murree. Photo: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Heavy snow has paralyzed daily life in large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, severing road links, knocking out electricity and communications networks and triggering a deadly avalanche in Lower Chitral that left nine people dead, officials said Friday.
Furthermore, authorities warned that a new wave of rain and snow was expected early next week under a new westerly system.
In Shangla district, torrential snowfall has completely paralyzed life, with mountainous areas and plains covered in snow.
Electricity supply, telephone services, internet connectivity and the operation of local micro-power plants have been completely disrupted. All major roads connecting Shangla to Swat and other adjacent districts have been closed, leaving several areas isolated.
Batagram and its Allai tehsil experienced record snowfall after eight years, with residents confined to their homes as roads became impassable and the power system collapsed.
Intense snowfall, which began Thursday evening and continued until Friday evening, sharply increased the intensity of cold weather throughout the district. Peripheral areas, notably the Chattar plain, were also seriously affected, seriously disrupting daily life.
The human toll was heaviest in Lower Chitral, where an avalanche hit a house in the Domel area of Drosh Arandu, killing nine people, including four women and five men, and seriously injuring a child.
Rescue teams, district administration officials and local residents rushed to the spot, while the Pakistan Army and Rescue 1122 participated in the operation.
Despite harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain, rescuers recovered all the bodies from the snow debris. The injured child received immediate medical help and was shifted to a nearby hospital, while the deceased were taken to their native village of Drosh Wardab.
Rescue officials acknowledged that heavy snow had hampered operations, but said timely action ensured the completion of rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, Abbottabad city received its first snowfall in nine years, while Thandiyani recorded nearly four feet of snow. Nathia Gali, Donga Gali, Ayubia, Changla Gali and surrounding hilly areas experienced the heaviest snowfall, ranging from three to four feet, further straining infrastructure and mobility in the region.
Authorities urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and remain vigilant as weather conditions remain severe in upper districts.
Relief operations
The worst-affected areas include Tirah Valley in Khyber district, Shangla, Lower Chitral and Murree, where snowfall has blocked roads, cut power supply and complicated travel for residents and displaced families.
Rescue teams were deployed in several places as provincial authorities, the army and district administrations rushed to respond to emergencies amid deteriorating weather conditions.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi on Friday said a comprehensive rescue operation was underway to help those affected by heavy snowfall in Tirah Valley and adjoining areas.
“The operation is underway in Tirah Valley, Painda Cheena, Dawatoi and Bagh Maidan on the directives of the Director General of Rescue 1122,” he said in a statement, adding that 23 operational vehicles and over 100 rescue workers were participating in the operation.
In an update, Rescue 1122 said 50 stranded vehicles and around 100 affected people were rescued in Tirah. “Those affected have been shifted to safer locations and the rescue operation is continuing,” the statement said.
The snowfall added to the plight of Tirah residents, who had already started leaving their homes amid a planned military operation against militants in the restive valley.
Hundreds of displaced families were left stranded on the roads Thursday due to delays in the registration process, which was suspended later in the evening due to intensifying snowfall.
A statement issued by the Khyber Deputy Commissioner’s Office on Friday said that on the directives of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, efforts were underway to shift displaced people stranded due to snowfall to safer places.
“The stranded families were shifted to Painda Cheena School and Home, and a relief package was also delivered to the spot overnight,” the statement said, adding that all families were provided with blankets while children were provided with sweaters and other essential items.
According to the Washington DC office, relief activities continued from Nangrosa to Dawatoi and from Dawatoi to Bagh Maidan, with 1122 rescue teams evacuating women and children first, followed by men. Rescue and relief operations continued late into the night to ensure all families were moved safely.
On Thursday evening, CM Afridi said Tirah residents were stranded due to “forced evacuation” and assured that district administrations and provincial resources were being mobilized to help them.
“The district administration as well as resources from across the province are being used to help them. People are stuck in around three places,” he said, adding that some families were being shifted to nearby houses and designated places.
He noted that communication with some stranded people remained difficult due to blocked roads and a lack of mobile signals, and said he was personally monitoring rescue efforts.
Life disrupted in Shangla, Murree
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in Shangla district blocked major roads, including the Karakoram Highway, and disrupted power supply to large areas.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), snowfall was reported in most northern districts of the province from Thursday evening to Friday morning, leading to road blockages in several areas.
Efforts are underway to reopen major roads, he said.
Bakht Alam Khan, chairman of the Chakesar tehsil council, said the community had prayed for snowfall after a prolonged dry spell severely affected agriculture and worsened water shortages. He added that although road closures were temporary, snowfall would help replenish water resources.
In Murree, snowfall began on Thursday evening with some areas receiving up to two feet of snow. Up to 14 inches of snow was recorded in the Sunny Bank area, while Galliyat and northern parts of the city saw heavier accumulation.
Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Shirazi said restrictions were imposed on entry of vehicles into the city due to weather conditions. However, no roads were closed and tourists already present were able to move around the city.
He said the district administration was closely monitoring the situation. Some vehicles that got stuck at Chitta Mor and near Mussiaree on the Murree Highway were later rescued.
More rain and snow forecast
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned that a fresh spell of rain and snow was expected on Sunday night under the influence of a westerly wave.
“A westerly wave is likely to approach the west of the country on January 25 (Sunday) and capture the upper part of the country on January 26,” the Met Office said.
Under its influence, rain, wind and thunderstorm accompanied by snowfall are expected in several parts of Balochistan, upper Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, including Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, between January 26 and 27, with occasional interruptions.
