Life across the country’s upper regions has been severely affected following heavy rain and snowfall, as road closures, power outages, and shortages of food and fuel have caused serious difficulties for residents in several areas.
In Gilgit-Baltistan’s Astore district, multiple link roads remain closed due to continuous snowfall. A sick resident of a village, trapped because of blocked routes, died before he could be shifted to a hospital, highlighting the severity of the situation in the area.
Meanwhile, life has also come to a standstill in the upper regions of Balochistan and Pak-Afghan border districts, including Chaman, Qila Abdullah, and Ziarat. Intense snowfall has cut off land routes, leaving residents of dozens of villages, including Toba Achakzai and Toba Kakari, confined to their homes.
Road closures have led to shortages of food and fuel in several areas, adding to the hardships faced by the local population. According to control room officials, helicopters remain the only viable option for providing relief to some remote regions.
In Azad Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, snowfall has stopped, but the main highway remains closed up to Taobat due to a landslide, while electricity supply has been suspended in thirteen villages of Nakyal, causing significant inconvenience to residents.
In the upper areas of Swat, efforts are underway to restore roads closed after snowfall; however, cold weather and harsh conditions are creating challenges in the restoration process.
