Tag: snowfall

  • Politics on Murree tragedy: Opposition criticises PTI for negligence, incompetence

    Politics on Murree tragedy: Opposition criticises PTI for negligence, incompetence

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, condemning the massive tragedy in Murree said, “What a massive tragedy Murree is turning out to be! Heartbroken to learn about the loss of so many precious lives.”

    Taking to Twitter the PMLN leader wrote, “My profound condolences & sympathies are with the bereaved families.”

    Criticising the government for its negligence and not ensuring the safety of the people, Shehbaz tweeted, “Where do you pin the responsibility of these deaths? Where was the government all the while? What arrangements did it make to deal with such an influx? Incompetence is fast turning into criminality.”

    “Prior arrangements & round the clock supervision were the normal SOPs in the past,” said Shehbaz.

    PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz paying her respects to the ones who have lost their lives said, “The tragic death of entire families in Murree, helpless in the snow, has shaken my heart.”

    “There is no point in cursing the government because this dead conscience government has died long ago,” further wrote Maryam.

    Reminding the government of its negligence, Maryam said, “The job of governments is not only to count tourists but also to make advance arrangements and security measures for them.”

    “These deaths are not due to snowfall, but due to government negligence,” tweeted Maryam.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted, “Heartbreaking, Govts surely need to be more vigilant about the flood of tourists on the Galiat routes in extreme weather.

    “Instead of seeking more tourists, Govt should have given a warning for jammed roads. This is the norm in perilous weather in all such destinations,” said Sherry.

    Meanwhile, the federal government has deployed the Pakistan Army and other civil-armed forces for rescue operations after 16-19 tourists died in their vehicles in Murree due to heavy snowfall in the hill station.

  • Heavy snowfall blocks roads to Babusar Top, Chilas

    After heavy rain and snow, the roads to Chilas and Gilgit via Babusar Top-Naran Highway have been suspended, ARY News has reported.

    Different areas in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received heavy rain and snow for the two days resulting in a drop in the temperature of the region.

    Areas of Batogah Top, Fairy Meadows, Nanga Parbat have also been receiving snowfall.

    The entryways into Gilgit-Baltistan have been suspended while tourists have been told to avoid traveling here. The district authorities have stopped cars from entering the region.

    The rains have lashed out on the entire region, the district authorities said, as they stopped cars approaching the area.

  • Natural disasters: What is happening around the world?

    Natural disasters: What is happening around the world?

    The second half of 2021 has seen a lot of catastrophic situations around the world. From the wildfires in Turkey to severe flooding in China, here’s a list of all the episodes of misfortunes happening right now.

    Wildfires rage across Europe

    Wildfire blazes have erupted across Europe; the most devastating in Turkey resulted in six deaths. The country has been hit by 133 wildfires and tens of thousands were forced from their homes. Moreover, the heatwave has fuelled several fires in Greece, Italy, Croatia, and southern parts of Europe, leaving them struggling to cope. Strong winds and a dry atmosphere have allowed the fires to rapidly expand, reports The New York Times.

    Rare Snowfall Blankets in Brazil

    Several parts of Brazil have seen snow for the first time in 64 years due to an uncharacteristic cold spell. Rare low temperatures have also been experienced by 40 cities. This has threatened the country’s agricultural sector with the risen of coffee and sugar prices, according to The Insider. Not only this, the temperature is expected to keep dropping, with possible snowfall in other states.

    Hail bigger than tennis balls rained down in northern Italy

    Towns around Italy’s Lake Como were hit by the size of tennis balls hailstones damaged nearly 100 cars. While hailstorms are a common summer feature in the country, the frequency of hailstorms this year is quite unusual. More than 60 rescues have been carried out so far, per reports.

    Paraná River, suffering from a severe drought in South America

    According to Reuters, due to a prolonged shortage of rainfall in Brazil, Parana’s water is at the lowest level since 1944. Due to this aggravating situation, Argentina’s government has urged citizens to limit water use to alleviate pressure on the River as it is the transportation route for 80 percent of the country’s farm exports and a source of drinking water, irrigation, and energy.

    Severe Flooding in Europe and China

    Floods have upended life in China, Germany, and Belgium. Hundreds of the residents have lost their lives because of the situation. As the atmosphere warms with climate change, it also holds more moisture, which means that when rainclouds break, more rain is released, as per details.

    These occurrences have sent a stark reminder to everyone that climate change is making weather more extreme across the globe.

  • IN PICTURES: Kaghan Valley experiences its first snowfall

    IN PICTURES: Kaghan Valley experiences its first snowfall

    The mountains of Kaghan Valley are covered in snow after the picturesque valley received the first snowfall of the season. Pictures from the area are being widely circulated on social media.

    As per reports, Naran town received more than 2.5 feet of snowfall. 

    Picture Credit: Gulf News
    Picture Credit: Gulf News
    Picture Credit: Gulf News

    Most hotels in Naran, Kaghan, and Shogran are still open for tourists this year because the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is trying to promote winter tourism.

    Picture Credit: Gulf News
    Picture Credit: Gulf News
  • VIDEO: Unusual snowfall in Ayubia in May after a century

    VIDEO: Unusual snowfall in Ayubia in May after a century

    In an unusual occurrence, the lush green mountains of Abbottabad district’s Ayubia village, after over a century, have received snowfall in the month of May that is known for bringing warmer weather.

    According to The Express Tribune, nearby areas, including the Galiyat region, also received light snowfall on Tuesday, which was very unusual even for the local population.

    A report by the local English daily quoted a 90-year-old resident of Ayubia as saying that he hadn’t seen such weather since the British colonial rule. The resident said that his elder brother told him how in the 1920s the beautiful hilly region received snowfall for the last time in the month of May, while back when his forefathers resided in the region, the cold weather used to be very harsh even in June.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Galliyat Development Authority (GDA) Director General (DG) Muhammad Raza Habib said he had received reports from his team in Ayubia about the weather, adding that there was no causality or disturbance for civilian life in the region due to the unexpected snowfall.

    Rina Saeed, an Islamabad-based writer and author, said the changes in weather were due to coronavirus pandemic as most of the world was under lockdown.

    READ: Improved air quality leads to breathtaking view of Kashmir from Sialkot

    “The environment is much cleaner now as compared to pre-coronavirus period. Since there is no pollution in the atmosphere, the flora and fauna of this region would benefit from it,” she said.