Tourists entry banned in northern areas amid heavy snowfall

ISLAMABAD: The district administration established an instant prohibition that prevents tourists from entering Galiyat Abbottabad, after landslides destroyed transportation routes between Murree Road and the area.

Authorities restricted tourist movement from Harno and Barian toward Galiyat as a safety measure after snow accumulation and landslides were reported in the area.

The decision comes as cold weather has returned across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with rain and snowfall affecting all upper and plain regions since last night.

Snow continues to fall across Malam Jabba Kalam, Mahodand Kaghan Valley, Shangla Top Yakhtange, and Achrosara. Rain has also been reported in several districts, which include Swat Valley, Mansehra, Balakot, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Kohat, and Bara, and this has caused temperatures to drop throughout the entire province.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rain with thundershowers at isolated locations in Peshawar, Swabi, Charsadda, Nowshera, Karak, Lakki, Marwat Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Orakzai Khyber, and Kurram.

Authorities have announced that restoration work for traffic movement on affected areas has commenced. The main Murree Road, along with other tourist routes, has started to reopen because the upper mountain areas are experiencing better weather conditions.