MANSEHRA: Babusar Top and other parts of upper Mansehra received the season’s first snowfall on Saturday, blanketing the highlands in white and drawing large numbers of tourists to the scenic northern valleys.
Light snowfall was reported in Babusar Top, Baesar Jhal Khud, and Noori Top, while tourists thronged Naran and nearby hill stations to enjoy the early onset of winter.
The snowfall also extended to Azad Jammu & Kashmir, where Muzaffarabad’s Makra Mountain received its first flurry of the season, bringing cool winds across the region. Overnight rain further intensified the chill in surrounding areas.
According to the Met Office, more thundershowers accompanied by strong winds are expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, northern Punjab, and coastal Sindh within the next 24 hours.
Earlier this week, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a rain alert for parts of KP, AJK, GB, and upper Punjab from October 3 to 7.
Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director-General Irfan Ali Kathia said that all commissioners and deputy commissioners had been directed to remain on high alert as heavy rains could raise water levels in rivers, nullahs, and drainage channels from October 5 to 7.
The warning was also circulated to provincial departments of Irrigation, Communication and Works, Local Government, and Livestock. Citizens have been advised to adopt precautionary measures and avoid unnecessary travel to vulnerable areas.
