Over the weekend, freezing rain and unexpected snowfall struck remote regions of Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 35 individuals and leaving dozens more injured.
According to disaster management authorities, among the fatalities were twenty-two children, many of whom perished in landslides that engulfed their homes.
The tragic incident saw numerous children crushed in landslides, which buried their residences, as reported by disaster management authorities.
Pakistan’s northern and western regions bore the brunt of the extreme weather, with roads becoming impassable and hundreds of houses suffering damage.
The unanticipated snowfall and freezing conditions caught experts off guard, especially considering Pakistan’s usual humidity during March.
Mushtaq Ali Shah, a former director of the country’s meteorological department, attributed the unprecedented weather patterns to climate change.
Shah further remarked that while a brief hailstorm lasting only “for a few moments” might not be unusual, it is highly uncommon for such conditions to persist for more than 30 minutes.
Hajit Shah, a resident of Kirk district in the north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mentioned that he had encountered snow in his neighborhood only on one previous occasion.
“As far as I can remember, there was light snowfall for a few minutes about 25 or 30 years ago,” he said.
The heavy rains completely destroyed at least 150 houses and partially damaged 500 others, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the south-western Balochistan province, authorities said.
Electricity has been completely cut off in some districts for several days.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial government has provided relief supplies to affected areas and announced financial assistance for the injured and the families of those who died.
According to Pakistan’s meteorological department’s weekly forecast, predominantly cold and dry weather is anticipated in most areas of the country for the remainder of this week. However, certain regions of Balochistan and Kashmir are likely to experience snowfall over hills.
