PESHAWAR: Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Monday informed that a new spell of rains and snowfall would start from February 21 till February 25 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PDMA said that Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) Peshawar has predicted that westerly weather system of light to moderate intensity is expected to enter western and upper parts of the province on Monday evening. Widespread rain-wind-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected in all districts of the province.
Isolated heavy rainfall associated with strong gusty winds and hailstorms is also expected during the period. Scattered rain-wind-thunderstorm with isolated snowfall over the hills is expected at Chitral, Lower and Upper Dir, Malakand, Swat, Buner, Shangla, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Kohat, Kurram and Hangu districts.
Similarly, moderate to heavy snowfall over the hills is expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Kurram districts from Tuesday to Friday. Wind and hailstorm may cause damage to vulnerable structures and standing crops in the province.
Snowfall may cause road blockage, landslides in the vulnerable areas of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan, Mansehra, and Abbottabad districts are also possible during the period. The PDMA warned to take all precautionary measures in order to avoid human losses and any damages to property.
Furthermore, all concerned authorities and districts administrations are directed to follow safety measures like tourists to be informed about weather forecast, availability of all emergency services staff, machineries, and other resources, advise concerned to keep monitoring on local barsati nullahs, in case of any occurrence, updates may kindly be shared with PEOC-PDMA round the clock via helpline 1700.
