PESHAWAR: Severe cold on Monday gripped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the adjoining Federally Administered Tribal Areas as mercury dropped to minus 10 degree centigrade in Parachinar, the headquarters of Kurram Agency.

The Met Office in Peshawar said the current weather phenomenon would continue for a couple of days and people should not expect sigh of relief from the chilly weather.

They forecast light rain in Peshawar and snowfall in parts of Malakand Division for today (Tuesday).

An official of the Met Office said there were slight chances of rain in Peshawar and after that, the mercury would further fall in the coming days. The provincial capital reported zero degree centigrade for the day (Monday).

Severe gas shortage and prolonged power loadshedding have multiplied the dwellers` problems in Peshawar. The frosty weather has forced the people to use warm clothes, sweaters, overcoats and shawls and spend most of their time indoors after sunset.

Doctors of the city`s teaching hospitals said the condition of chronic patients, including those suffering from asthma and other cold-related allergies, had worsened due to the cold wave.

They said most visitors to hospitals complained of flu, cough and chest congestion.

Meanwhile, reports coming in from Kurram Agency suggest that the cold wave has literally frozen Parachinar, where temperature has dropped to minus 10 degree centigrade.

Light snow has covered Spin Ghar (White Mountain) separating Kurram Valley from Afghanistan.

Different parts of North Waziristan Agency received first snow of the season on Monday.

Ghulam Khan, Saidgai, Bangidar and several areas in Miramshah subdivision of the agency received snow.

The snowfall in the surrounding areas triggered cold wave in the agency.

According to reports, Alexander Fort in Razmak subdivision received from two to four feet snowfall.

Official of the Met Office in Peshawar said in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the lowest temperature was recorded in Malam Jaba of Swat Valley and Darosh in Chitral district, where mercury was recorded minus 6 degree centigrade.