City
Epaper

14 die as snowfall, rain wreak havoc in Balochistan

By IANS | Updated: January 13, 2020 12:20 IST

Heavy snowfall and rain have claimed at least 14 lives in different parts of Balochistan and suspended road and air links of the Pakistans largest province with rest of the world, as the unusually extreme weather system entered the country.

Open in App

With a strong westerly wave affecting most parts of the country, snowfall is also expected in Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, besides heavy showers have been forecast for Islamabad as well as upper and central Punjab from Monday till Tuesday morning, Dawn news quoted the Met Department as saying.

Met officials said heavy snowfall in Quetta had already broken the 20-year record.

"In Qilla Saifullah, the Met Office recorded three- to four-foot snow, which was (more than) double the usual one- to 1.5-foot snow," said Chief Meteo­rologist Azmat Hayat Khan.

An aircraft that had arrived from Saudi Arabia with passengers on Saturday night could not return, as Quetta airport runway remained covered with heavy snow, sources said.

Traffic was suspended on the Quetta-Chaman highway as the Khozak-Pass linking Pakistan with Afghanistan also received heavy snowfall, bringing a halt to the Afghan transit trade as hundreds of trucks and other goods vehicles remained standard on both sides of the border.

Around two dozen passengers in four vehicles were trapped in the far-flung area of Kaachar close to Pakistan-Iran border.

Meanwhile, emergency has been declared in Mastung, Qila Abdullah, Kech, Ziarat, Harnai, and Pishin districts of Balochistan due to heavy snow, said The News International in a report.

While addressing the media here, Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan said a high alert had been issued to the commissioners and deputy commissioners.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: pakistanQuettaJam Kamal KhanQilla Saifullah
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalPakistan Lahore Airport Fire: Runway Shut Down After Massive Blaze, Flights Cancelled, Passengers Stranded (Watch Video)

NationalPahalgam Terror Attack: Amit Shah Directs States to Identify and Deport Pakistani Nationals

NationalPakistan Fires Small Arms Along LoC, Indian Army Retaliates Effectively

NationalPakistan Shuts Border, Suspends Shimla Agreement, Trade and Airspace for Indian Airlines

NationalIndian Citizens With Valid Visas Denied Entry Into Pakistan at Attari-Wagah Border; Video Goes Viral

International Realted Stories

InternationalProtests continue in Sindh against Pak govt's Indus River canal project

InternationalUnder patronage of UAE President, Abdullah bin Zayed inaugurates 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

InternationalPalestine President Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein al-Sheikh as PLO deputy

InternationalAt least 14 people killed, 750 others injured in explosion at key Iranian port

InternationalIndian Embassy in Nepal holds condolence meeting for J-K attack victims