PESHAWAR, Nov 6: Widespread rain with snowfall in hilly areas lashed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal belt, bringing the mercury down and forcing the residents to turn to use of woolies on Wednesday.

The fresh spell of rain started on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday night. The snowfall in hilly areas was recorded in Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir districts besides some other areas, causing blockade of roads. According to reports, the snowfall also caused closure of Lowari tunnel, disrupting power supply and communication system there.

In Peshawar, light rain continued intermittently throughout the day on Wednesday. According to Met office officials, the provincial metropolis received seven 7mm rain since morning and 2mm at night as there was a forecast for more rain during the next 24 hours.

The rain also caused difficulties to the dwellers, particularly those residing in low-lying areas. The rainwater accumulated on roads and streets and clogged drainage nullahs in several localities and cantonment areas, including Gulberg, Kohat Road, Swati Gate, Dalazak Road, Lahori Gate and Nishtarbad, etc.

According to reports pouring in from other districts, including Malakand, Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi, Buner, Nowshera, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, intermittent rain continued for the second day bringing a cold wave in the region. Rain and snowfall was also reported on mountains in tribal areas, including North Waziristan and Bajaur agencies.

In Chitral, snowfall continued for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, which led to the closure of Lowari top road, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The snowfall at Lowari Pass also caused disconnection of Chitral district from the national grid. Snow has also been accumulated in the low altitudes of mountains across the valley causing drop in the temperature.

The passengers coming to Chitral are reportedly stranded at south portal of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, the MPA from Chitral Ghulam Mohammad has demanded of the government to open the Lowari tunnel for public. Talking to Dawn, he said that passengers had been facing hardships and people in the district shortage of daily-use commodities.

In Swat, temperature has dropped to minus one degree Celsius at Kalam valley as a fresh spell of snowfall started on Wednesday. About one to two feet snow was recorded on high mountains in Kalam and Malamjaba. However, plain areas of Swat, including Mingora city, had been receiving rain since Tuesday night.

In Khar, Bajaur Agency, heavy downpour continued for the second day. The rain paralysed routine life in Bajaur tribal region. Shops, markets and trade centres in various bazaars of the agency remained closed due to rain and cold weather.