ALPURI: Life in Shangla district remained far from normal on Wednesday despite the subsiding of the second spell of snowfall, as extreme cold, icy winds and snow-covered roads continued to cripple daily activities and disrupt normal life.
The first spell of snowfall began last Thursday, followed by a second severe spell on Monday evening, which completely paralyzed normal life. Several roads that had been temporarily reopened after the first spell were blocked again after the second. Restoration work is underway, but harsh weather and freezing winds have significantly slowed progress. On Wednesday, most link roads in the district remained closed, leaving residents of upper areas stranded.
According to SDO Wapda/PESCO Shangla, Salahuddin, heavy snowfall damaged power towers and transmission lines at multiple locations. He said that restoration work was facing challenges due to staff shortages and severe weather conditions; however, teams were working round the clock to restore electricity as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, electricity from local micro-hydropower stations was partially restored in several areas after cleaning and repair work on Wednesday.Power outages also disrupted banking services in Alpuri and other areas, forcing ATM machines to remain non-functional and severely affecting financial transactions. Traders, commuters and local residents faced serious financial hardships due to the suspension of banking operations.
Despite limited resources, personnel from Shangla police, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, Wapda and other departments continued relief and clearance operations day and night. During the first snowfall spell, Shangla Top recorded between six and seven feet of snow, while the second spell added another three to four feet.
However, the magnitude of the snowfall overwhelmed available resources. The National Highway Authority lacked snow-clearing machinery in the area, and small tractors fitted with blades proved ineffective against such massive accumulation. As a result, the Alpuri-Swat road remained completely closed for five days, while traffic on the Alpuri - Bisham Road also faced severe disruption.
