Widespread Rains, Snowfall in KP from February 29

News Desk

Peshawar: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa issued an alert on Tuesday for widespread heavy torrential rains and snowfall with windstorms, thunderstorms, and isolated hailstorms in the province from February 29 to March 2.

The PDMA, in its advisory to all the deputy commissioners (DCs) of KP, said that the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Regional Weather Forecasting Centre, Peshawar, had informed them that a strong westerly wave “is likely to approach western parts on February 29th, may grip most parts of the province on March 1st, and persist till March 2nd.”.

Under the influence of the weather system, it said, a heavy to extremely widespread rain with windstorm or thunderstorm (heavy snowfall over the hills) was expected in Chitral (Lower & Upper), Dir (Lower & Upper), Malakand, Buner, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Hangu, Karak, Kohat, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank, D I Khan, and North & South Waziristan districts from February 29 to March 3.

“Isolated hailstorms are also likely to occur during the period,” it added.

The PDMA warned that the weather system might cause flash flooding in hill torrents and local nullahs as well as urban flooding in the main cities of the province during the forecast period.

“The heavy rain and snowfall may also cause landslides and the closure of roads in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, and Abbottabad districts, while windstorms and hailstorms may damage loose structures like electric poles, vehicles, solar panels, etc.,” it added.