Severe cold and heavy snowfall have gripped the northern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past two days, claiming at least 10 lives in incidents caused by landslides, avalanches and roof collapses, according to a report on Sunday.
A preliminary report issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said the victims include seven children and one woman. The report also noted that rain and snowfall partially damaged at least five houses in different areas.
Tourist couple tragedy
In Balakot, a tourist couple from Faisalabad lost consciousness after gas accumulated inside their room. The man later died, while the woman was reported to be in stable condition.
Snowfall disrupts Balochistan and KP
In Balochistan’s Chaman district, snowfall has blocked the main road in the Toba Achakzai area. Meanwhile, authorities in Mansehra said all major highways that were closed due to snow have now been reopened for traffic.
Kaghan Highway likely to reopen
Hundreds of tourists stranded in Shogran were transported back using jeeps. Officials said the Kaghan Highway is expected to reopen for general traffic later today if weather conditions improve.
Hundreds of villages are cut off
In Battagram, the Karakoram Highway has been restored for all types of vehicles. However, in Abbottabad, Galiyat and Thandiani, roads linking around 150 villages remain blocked. More than half a million people are still confined to their homes due to road closures.
Life has come to a halt in several parts of Diamer district, where the Pakistan Army and Gilgit Baltistan Scouts have set up relief camps to support affected residents.
Situation improves in Murree
Snowfall has stopped in Murree, allowing the Murree Expressway to reopen. However, heavy snowfall continues to block several link roads in Hattian Bala and the Jhelum Valley.
Rescue operation in Azad Kashmir
In Abbaspur area of Azad Kashmir, the Pakistan Army and civil administration jointly carried out a rescue operation after snowfall and safely evacuated 77 stranded people to safer locations.
Avalanche alerts issued
Due to the risk of avalanches in mountainous and upper regions, authorities have issued warnings. The National Disaster Management Authority has also released a weather advisory for several areas until January 29.
More snowfall expected
The NDMA warned that another western weather system could bring further snowfall over the next 24 to 48 hours, with heavy snow expected in Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the northern and mountainous districts of KP.
Weather forecast
The Met Office said a westerly wind system is expected to enter the country tonight. Rain and snowfall are forecast from today until Tuesday in Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan, Kashmir, KP, Islamabad and Murree.
Thunderstorms are likely in Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera and Kohat. Snowfall may block roads and cause slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Kalam and Chitral, while landslides and avalanches remain a concern in upper districts.
More snow in Balochistan
Further snowfall is expected in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Saifullah and Qila Abdullah. Heavy rain with strong winds is also forecast in Gwadar, Khuzdar, Awaran, Chagai, Panjgur and Kech.
Cold deepens nationwide
Intermittent rain is expected in several parts of Punjab, including Lahore. Karachi is experiencing intense cold, with temperatures dropping to a record 8.5 degrees Celsius. The cold wave in the city is likely to continue until the end of January. In Lahore, strong cold winds have pushed temperatures down to 6 degrees.
Over the past 24 hours, temperatures in Kalat dropped to minus 8 degrees Celsius, marking one of the coldest readings of the season.