All Murree routes shut as heavy snowfall and rain pummel several cities

Swat, South Waziristan, Muzaffarabad, Mansehra, Khyber, , Neelum, Leepa areas are nastiest affected by snowstorm: On Punjab CM’s order, food has beendistributed among tourists in Murree
Rescuers have evacuated multiple trapped people to safety as heavy snowfall covered several mountainous districts, has blocked the roads and cut off many villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir on Friday. Routes leading to Murree are also closed as heavy snow walloped the hill station, reported by Media.
Tourists moving towards Murree have been updated by Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), advised them to postpone travel due to snowfall. An official of Islamabad Traffic Police communicated that all entry routes leading to Murree have been closed as a result of overnight snowfall.
He further updated that diversions have been put in place on both Murree-bound routes, and they are turning back traffic to ensure public safety.
The official also added that the administration of the city is doing utmost efforts to reopen the roads blocked by snow; however, conditions are unsafe for travel at present.
He also urged travelers not to travel towards Murree till further notice or until clearance has been issued by the authorities. He also requested public to cooperate with traffic officers deployed on duty.
Islamabad Traffic Police will inform to public as and when the routes are cleared and reopened for the public. For updates, citizens may contact the traffic helpline 1915 or the emergency helpline Pucar-15.

Army soldiers and Rescue 1122 teams were operating in different areas of Tirah Valley in District Khyber and shifted more than 40 people to safe locations. These 40 people are including women and children. Food, warm clothes and bedding have been provided to evacuees, according to Rescue 1122 spokesman Bilal Faizi.
Rescue 1122 team is engaged in rescue operations in Sandana Area, Peshawar, Swabi and Nowshera and rescued more than 55 people, who had been stranded in 20 vehicles in Sandana area. The operation is continued despite difficulties due to slippery roads and heavy snowfall.
Spokesperson of KPK Government, Mr, Shafi Jan has told to media that People are still stranded at many locations due to heavy snowfall, He also added that Contact in some areas is not possible due to the suspension of mobile phone signals and road closures, however, rescue operations are still in process with aim to rescue all stranded people.
Distinctly, several people were trapped in four vehicles in Bahrain area of District. The rescue disaster and medical teams immediately reached on the location to rescue the people as soon as the information was received to rescue teams. The rescue personnel are taking professionally action and shifting people safely to a safe place and also recovering the trapped vehicles.
Local authorities have updated that they have started the process of clearing snow from the Malam Jabba Road, Kalam and other areas. Heavy snowfall has disrupted traffic on several roads in South Waziristan’s Ladha town as well.
District Mansahra is also presenting the same situation where routine life was thrown into a spin. There is no electricity, road access and telecom services.

The dry spell that persisted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for over past several months has dropped as the top mountainous Neelam and Leepa valleys and rainfall in plains received heavy spell of snow and rainfall With the much-awaited snowfall on higher reaches. Mercury fell down to exceptional extent turning weather chilled in top mountainous Neelam and Leepa valleys.

The extreme weather led to a dip in the day temperature also. However, the night temperature escalated to intolerable chillness in the top upper reaches of the liberated region.
The Met Office predicted continuation of the rainfall in several of plains and snowfall at top mountainous regions of the AJK during next 24 hours.
There was a huge hours-long breakdown of electricity and telecom services reported in Muzaffarabad and other main Azad Jammu Kashmir cities.

Most areas of Sindh and Punjab also received heavy rains which added more chill to the already cold weather.
Metrological Department has updated that intermittent rain in Lahore continued which declined in the temperature by 11 degree Celsius and chilled added to the weather..
In Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sialkot and surrounding areas rain is also continued. Intermittent rain continued in twin cities and the intensity of cold has increased accordingly. Meteorological Department also added that intermittent rain will continue throughout the day tomorrow as well.
If we talk about the metropolitan city Karachi, First rain of winter season added extreme cold in weather. According to Metrological Department, during the next 24 hours cold nights will be felt with dry weather and the ongoing cold wave will continue till the end of January. Humidity ratio in the air is 33 percent The maximum temperature would likely to be recorded between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius from today. The air quality of the city has improved after the rain. Winds are blowing from the northeast at a light speed.
Heavy rain also recorded in many areas of Khyber district overnight. Cold weather intensified and several roads in the upper Neelum Valley and the highway connecting Leepa to Reshiyan were closed due to rain and snowfall in Azad Kashmir,.

Heavy snowfall added cold in northern areas of Balochistan too, as mercury fell to minus 15 degrees Celsius in Ziarat while in Quetta temperature is recorded minus 11, in Qalat, minus 12 degrees Celsius and below freezing point recorded in Nathiagali, Thandiani and Murree.
Provincial Minister for Communications Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bharath is present in Murree to look after all the matters on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister.
The Provincial Minister said that all arrangements for the removal of snow from the highways and machinery is present on the main highways of Murree to remove snow.
He also updated that about 13 Tourist Facilitation Centers are fully operational and all the staff of the local administration including the highway are on alert. He further said that traffic police are also patrolling the highways of Murree.
Tourists present in Murree are satisfied with the arrangements and tourists are enjoying the weather of Murree in a safe manner, Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bharath said.