Rain/snowfall lash entire Chitral, Lowari tunnel road closed

CHITRAL: Rain/snowfall continuing for hours lashed the entire valley of Chitral disrupting routine life and cutting off link with other parts of the country.
When this report was filed on Saturday morning, over six inch of snow had been reported from the approach roads of Lowari tunnel, forcing the traffic to block. Reports said a large number people were stranded on both sides of the tunnel due to the blockade of the road. The Met Office recorded eight milimetres of rainfall in Mirkhani and three mm each in Drosh and Chitral town. The minimum temperature of -4 degrees Centigrade was recorded in Drosh.
The stranded passengers were suffering in the severe cold and were at the mercy of hoteliers and being overcharged for substandard food items.
In upper Chitral the rain/snowfall continued and different villages have received five to seven inch of snow. With the rain and snowfall the prolonged dry spell has ended and farmers have taken a sigh of relief. But sjirtsge of firewood has badly affected the residents in many parts of the valley.