Rains, snowfall kill 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• 46 people injured due to roof and wall collapses, land-sliding amid rain and snowfall in KP.
• Over 109 houses damaged in different districts of the province.
• Weather was cold, dry in most parts of the province Monday.

PESHAWAR: As many as 18 people died in rain-related incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, The News reported Tuesday, with injuries from roof and wall collapse and land sliding mounting up to 46 from January 3-10, amid rain and snowfall in the province.

More than 109 houses were damaged in different districts of the province, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

Relief items were distributed among affectees in Charsadda, Karak, Khyber, Mohmand, Nowshera, and Upper Dir, while relief and rehabilitation activities were also carried out in the affected areas.

The weather remained cold and dry in most parts of the province on Monday, with the Met Office forecasting cold and dry weather for Tuesday.

Abbottabad

The rescue operation that was launched after heavy snowfall in Galiyat is still underway as most of the tourists — along with their vehicles — were evacuated from Nathiagali, Dungagali, Ayubia, Changlagali, and other snowbound areas.

The main Murree Road, which was blocked due to landslides at numerous points, was re-opened for traffic. The inclement weather paralysed life in Abbottabad, particularly in the upper parts as temperatures plunged below freezing point.

Several link roads, including Nathiagali-Balakot road, were closed because of the heavy snowfall of the season in the last six days.

The snowfall affected daily life as most of the people remained indoors.

The locals complained that prices of firewood and fuel surged across the district when the weather turned chillier. Despite the surge in prices of firewood, the fuel has disappeared in some areas.

The shortage of firewood, petrol, medicines, food, and other essentials has made life miserable for people in Galiyat.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Qamar Hayat said that Abbottabad-Nathiagali road had been cleared while rescue work was underway.

He said traffic wardens were assisting the rescue operations being carried out by the district police, GDA staff, and Rescue 1122 officials.

He said the mobile canteen had been activated to provide tea to the tourists, adding that workshop mobile was also deployed to help the people stranded in the snow.

Mansehra

The Kaghan Development Authority sprinkled salt on the link road leading to the tourist resort of Shogran.

“We have started sprinkling salt to end the slipperiness caused by the snowfall on various roads in Kaghan valley,” Mohammad Moazam, the KDA’s inspector told reporters.

Moazam said that though the entry of tourists was banned, more snowfall could lash the valley and it could cause landslides. He said the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road and links roads were being cleared of the snow.

“There is no tourist in the upper parts of Kaghan valley and those who had thronged Shogran were rescued by the police,” he said. The weather remained sunny after a week of heavy rain and snowfall in the upper parts of Hazara.

The Hazara division is in the grip of severe cold and entry of the tourists into Kaghan, Siran, and Konsh valleys has been banned.