Heavy rain, hail and snow mistreated northern parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province in a third day in a row, triggering flash flooding and landslides disturbing daily life, leaving several key roads blocked, local officials said on Thursday.
The hangers caused flooding streams and rivers in lower DIR and sent water that rush into shops and homes. The weather system, which brought thunder, hailstorms and intermittent snowfall to hilly areas has intensified the cold over the region.
Upper mountain zones including Kumrat Valley, Lowari Tunnel, Shahi Bin Shahi, Kalpani, Asherai Dara and Jahaz Banda experienced continuous snowfall, officials said.
In the plains, hail has severely damaged wheat fields and orchards, which raises concerns for local farmers right in front of the harvest season.
The Panjkora River was also reported to be at a low level of flood, while water entered commercial areas in parts of the DIR district.
In upper chitral, heavy landslides and raised streams are accessing access along the Booni-Mastuj road on several points, including reshun, Zait, Kari, Istaro and Reach. Local authorities confirmed that vehicles were stranded in some places.
As Eid approaches, travelers have been asked to postpone non-essential travel due to the risk of additional slides and closures of the road.
“The situation in the upper reach is fragile. We encourage people to exercise caution,” a district traffic employee told Express News.
Access to affected areas remains difficult, and emergency services continue to face challenges that reach remote locations due to blocked routes.
