Northern KP, GB, Balochistan battle freezing cold as 10 killed amid NDMA alert

• KP PDMA issues report, saying avalanches, landslides and roof collapses claim 10 lives in province
• Pakistan Army, GB Scouts conduct relief and evacuations as half a million stranded in villages, highways temporarily blocked
• NDMA issues weather advisory till Jan 29 amid western system, warning landslides, avalanches and road slippages
• Further snow expected in KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Balochistan

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Northern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan have been gripped by severe cold and heavy snowfall, leaving at least 10 people dead in incidents involving landslides, avalanches, and roof collapses over the past two days.

According to a preliminary report from the KP’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the deceased include seven children and one woman, while rain and snowfall caused partial damage to at least five houses.

In Balakot, a tourist couple from Faisalabad fell unconscious due to gas accumulation; the husband later died, while the woman remains stable. In Balochistan’s Chaman district, the main road in Toba Achakzai remains closed, while major highways in Mansehra have reopened. Hundreds of tourists stranded in Shogran were evacuated via jeeps, and the Kaghan Highway will reopen if conditions improve.

In Battagram, the Karakoram Highway is open, but link roads to 150 villages in Abbottabad, Galiyat, and Thandiani remain blocked. Over half a million residents are confined due to road closures. Relief camps have been set up by the Pakistan Army and Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, especially in Diamer district.

Snowfall has stopped in Murree, reopening the Murree Expressway, while Hattian Bala and Abbaspur in Azad Kashmir remain partially blocked. A joint operation evacuated 77 residents safely.

The NDMA issued a warning for avalanches and landslides in mountainous regions, forecasting further snowfall due to a westerly wind system entering tonight. Rain and snow are expected until Jan 29 in KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Kashmir, Islamabad, and Murree. Thunderstorms may hit Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, and Kohat, while Naran, Kaghan, Kalam, and Chitral face snow-related road blockages.

Balochistan remains extremely cold, with Ziarat at −10°C, Qalat −8°C, Quetta −5°C, Zhob and Qila Saifullah −4°C, and heavy snowfall forecast in Quetta, Ziarat, Chaman, Pishin, Qila Saifullah, and Qila Abdullah. Rain and strong winds are expected in southern and coastal districts, including Gwadar, Khuzdar, Awaran, Chagai, Panjgur, and Kech.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, life is slowly returning, but roads linking upper areas remain blocked and electricity is disrupted. Astore continues to face a cold wave, with power outages for the past four days. In Neelum Valley, light snowfall resumed on high mountains, while dense clouds and falling temperatures persist. Authorities have urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, and heavy machinery has been deployed to clear blocked roads.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a new system of westerly winds is expected to enter Balochistan province on Sunday night, which is likely to cause rain and snowfall in most districts of the province.

The intensity of cold remains high across much of Balochistan. Ziarat recorded minus 10 degrees Celsius, Qalat minus 8, Quetta minus 5, while Zhob and Qila Saifullah recorded minus 4 degrees.

Separately, cloudy weather returned to the scenic Neelum Valley after a one-day break. Light snowfall has begun on the high mountains in both upper and lower Neelum. Dense clouds covered the sky, leading to a further drop in temperature. Restoration work on roads blocked by recent snowfall is underway. Heavy machinery is being used for snow clearance, according to the highways department. The administration has advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel.