Balochistan hits by calamitous snowfall, freezes in blood curdling cold

QUETTA: The mercury went down to minus region in most districts of Balochistan amid calamitous snowfall in the southwestern province of Pakistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to Pakistan Meteorological Department report, the minimum temperature in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan, has dropped to minus 11° Celsius, while minus 13° recorded in Kalat and minus 10° in resort town of Ziarat.

Chief Minister of Balochistan, Jam Kamal, in a statement on the situation said that the snow is falling in around 800 kilometers area of the province and temperature has dropped to as low as minus 14-15° Celsius in the calamity hit areas. “Kan Mehtarzai is the region most affected by the snowfall,” the chief minister said.

“The situation is very difficult, relief teams are working (in affected areas),” Kamal further said. “All available resources are being used to get stranded people out,” he further said.

“Balochistan perhaps didn’t receive such heavy snowfall in the past,” he added.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority in a statement said that the people trapped in Kan Mehtarzai area of Chaman have been rescued. “More than 100 vehicles stranded due to heavy snowfall, have been taken out and the rescued people were sent to Quetta,” the PDMA said.

The PDMA, FC, Levies and district administration officials were involved in the rescue operation in the area.

Moreover, hundreds of vehicles have been stranded due to traffic flow disturbance at the National Highway on the both sides of Lakpass.

Quetta-Sukkur highway has been closed at the point of Kolpur. “Efforts are underway to reopen the road,” deputy commissioner Mastung told the media.

Stranded passengers facing hardships due to blood curdling cold weather.

Cold winds at Lakpass and Dasht have frozen the snow at the road. The district administration is engaged in a rescue operation with the PDMA, the DC said.

“The affected population in Dasht has been supplied 300 bags of ration items,” deputy commissioner added.