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ISLAMABAD: A new wave of western disturbances entering the country via Iran has brought heavy rain and snowfall to Balochistan as well as northern and hilly regions, accompanied by cold temperatures.&nbsp;The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for further&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-issues-cold-wave-warning-for-northern-upper-regions" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">severe weather&nbsp;</a>over the next 12 hours.&nbsp;According to the Meteorological Department in Quetta, Ziarat and Qalat recorded snowfall, with Qalat receiving up to 4.5 inches. In Gilgit-Baltistan, Babusar Top and Nanga Parbat areas experienced up to 10 inches of snow, severely affecting movement and travel. Meanwhile, NDMA&rsquo;s National Emergencies Operations Center warned that rain is expected in most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir, while hilly areas&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/more-than-75000-domestic-tourists-visit-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-during-new-years" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">may see snowfall</a>.&nbsp;In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rainfall is likely in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Malakand, Kurram, Waziristan, Mansehra, Mohmand, Buner, Haripur, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Sawabi, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Kohat. In Gilgit-Baltistan, rain and snow are expected in Gilgit, Astore, Ghanche, Diamer, Skardu, Hunza, and Shigar, while in Azad Kashmir, Bagh, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Havelian, Kotli, Bhimber, and Neelum are likely to experience rain and snowfall in upper areas.&nbsp;NDMA cautioned that rain and snow could make roads slippery and disrupt traffic. Citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and follow precautionary measures.&nbsp;Meanwhile, in Balochistan, rain was recorded in Chaman, Mastung, Noshki, and Kharan, while Gwadar and surrounding areas experienced hail along with rain, leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 552px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015348480060113389&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=92f6202c4d95765916e7e6012632060f0f36d306&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2015348480060113389"></iframe></div></div>NDMA has instructed rescue agencies and road maintenance departments to remain alert due to potential risks, adding that the National Emergencies Operations Centre is continuously monitoring the situation and providing advance information to the public.&nbsp;Relief operations continueRelief efforts continued in remote and high-altitude areas, including Tirah Valley, Kotli, Nakyal and Leepa Valley, where the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps evacuated stranded families, reopened roads and distributed essential supplies. A helicopter evacuation was also carried out in Leepa Valley to airlift a patient after ground access was cut off.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Rescue 1122, Tourism Police and Quick Response Force teams rescued three stranded tourists from Siri Paye after an eight-hour foot operation, safely transferring them to Shogran. The PMD said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/cold-wave-grips-pakistan-fog-and-freezing-temperatures-set-to-intensify" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">cold and partly cloudy weather</a>&nbsp;will persist in most districts of Balochistan, with strong winds and thunderstorms likely in Chaghi, Noshki, Mastung, Kharan, Panjgur, Turbat, Kech, Awaran, Gwadar, Quetta, Ziarat, Qila Saifullah, Qila Abdullah, Chaman and Zhob. Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in mountainous regions, warning of landslides, avalanches and hazardous road conditions as winter weather persists.

Climate & Environment

NDMA cautions that rain and snow could make roads slippery and disrupt traffic. Citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel and follow precautionary measures.


Fresh western system brings heavy snowfall, rain to northern Pakistan

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Experts on disaster risk reduction have stressed the need for proactive disaster management and stronger regional cooperation. Among them was M. Idrees Mehsud, Member Disaster Risk Reduction at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), who said the NDMA represented the government&rsquo;s resilience-building agenda and was leading disaster risk reduction efforts not only in Pakistan but also at regional and global levels.&nbsp; Speaking in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s programme &lsquo;World This Morning&rsquo;, Mehsud said Pakistan has shifted from a reactive to a proactive approach by establishing strong institutional mechanisms, including the National Emergencies Operations Centre and the Centre of Excellence for Training and Capacity Building. He said a high-level working group meeting was held ahead of the 10th ECO Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, scheduled for January 22 in Islamabad.&nbsp; The meeting finalised the regional Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Framework for 2025-2030 and prepared the Islamabad Declaration, which would guide regional cooperation in the coming years. Mehsud said Pakistan has offered its emergency operations centre and training facilities as regional hubs for ECO-member states.&nbsp; Speaking in the programme, Prof Dr Orhan Tatar, General Director of Earthquake and Risk Reduction at AFAD Turkiye, thanked the people and government of Pakistan for their solidarity and assistance following the devastating February 6, 2023 earthquakes in Turkiye, which claimed nearly 54,000 lives. Dr Tatar said the tragedy prompted Turkiye to significantly expand its disaster management capacities and place stronger emphasis on disaster risk reduction. He said Turkiye has completed one of the world&rsquo;s largest post-earthquake recovery efforts, constructing and handing over 455,000 permanent housing units across 18 provinces. Highlighting that Turkiye, Pakistan and Iran lie on the same Alpide-Himalayan earthquake belt, he stressed the need for strong regional cooperation.&nbsp; Dr Tatar said AFAD proposed establishing a joint regional seismic data centre and enhancing collaboration on early warning systems for earthquakes, landslides and floods. Director at the ECO Secretariat Dr Husnu Tekin said disaster risk reduction remains a top priority for the Economic Cooperation Organisation, which comprises 10 member states, including Pakistan. Dr Tekin said the meeting reviewed and updated the ECO Regional Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction, first adopted in 2021, for the next five years.&nbsp; He said the ECO region is among the most disaster-prone in the world, facing earthquakes, floods and other hazards. He said the revised framework and the Islamabad Declaration were finalised for adoption at the ministerial meeting.&nbsp; Dr Tekin also announced the launch of a children&rsquo;s disaster awareness animation, developed with UNICEF Tajikistan, to promote preparedness across ECO-member states.

Experts on disaster risk reduction have stressed the need for proactive disaster management and stronger regional cooperation.

NDMA leads disaster risk reduction efforts at regional, global levels

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Thursday issued a cold wave alert for Gilgit-Baltistan, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, warning of extremely low temperatures and heavy snowfall over the coming days.&nbsp;According to the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC), very cold to extremely cold conditions are expected to prevail, particularly during nighttime and early morning hours, while daytime temperatures are likely to remain below normal.&nbsp;The forecast indicates moderate to heavy snowfall in <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/more-than-75000-domestic-tourists-visit-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-during-new-years" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">high-altitude and hilly areas</a>, which could disrupt road connectivity, transportation, and power supply in mountainous regions. NDMA warned that the prevailing conditions may increase the risk of snow slides and avalanches at vulnerable locations, posing threats to human lives, infrastructure, and livestock.&nbsp;Adjoining plains are expected to experience&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/cold-wave-grips-pakistan-fog-and-freezing-temperatures-set-to-intensify" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(44, 130, 201);" rel="noopener noreferrer">cold</a><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/cold-wave-grips-pakistan-fog-and-freezing-temperatures-set-to-intensify" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(44, 130, 201);">, dry weather</a>, with frost in isolated areas. The authority cautioned that prolonged exposure to extreme cold may increase health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing medical conditions. Frost could also damage standing crops and orchards in nearby plain areas.&nbsp;NDMA advised the public to avoid non-essential travel to high-altitude and snowfall-prone areas and urged travelers to use snow chains where travel is unavoidable. Citizens were also asked to make adequate arrangements for heating, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/volunteers-bring-winter-relief-to-islamabads-daily-wage-workers" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">warm clothing and shelter</a>, with special attention to vulnerable populations.&nbsp;The authority directed provincial and district administrations to remain on high alert and ensure preparedness for snow-clearance operations, emergency response, and the timely restoration of essential services, including electricity and communications.&nbsp;NDMA said it would continue to monitor the situation through NEOC and issue further updates as required. The public has been advised to rely on official information disseminated through television, radio, verified social media platforms, and the &ldquo;Pak NDMA Disaster Alert&rdquo; mobile application.

The National Disaster Management Authority warns of an increased risk of snow slides and avalanches at vulnerable locations, posing a threat to human lives, infrastructure, and livestock.

Pakistan issues cold wave alert for northern regions

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: capitalize; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: nowrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">MAZAR-i-SHARIF:&nbsp;A strong earthquake killed at least 20 people in northern Afghanistan, authorities said Monday, just months after another deadly tremor that left the country reeling. The 6.3-magnitude quake struck overnight at a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles) with the epicentre near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, according to the US Geological Survey.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 248px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1985085925416661097&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=4ce46ae6fd8f4ced8a0fb11acb2b65c6496c0477&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1985085925416661097"></iframe></div></div>More than 20 people were killed and around 320 were injured in the provinces of Balkh and Samangan, health ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman told journalists on Monday morning, stressing that this was a preliminary toll. He did not provide a province-wide breakdown of the casualties. Residents of Mazar-i-Sharif, one of Afghanistan&#39;s largest northern cities, scrambled into the streets due to fears their homes would collapse, an AFP correspondent observed. Blue Mosque damaged The city&#39;s famed Blue Mosque, a 15th-century landmark known for its vibrant tiles, was also damaged, an AFP journalist witnessed. Pieces of the structure, particularly from one of its minarets, broke off and lay scattered across the mosque&#39;s grounds, one of the country&#39;s few remaining tourist spots. Correspondents in the capital Kabul, around 420 kilometres to the south, also said they felt shaking. Poor communication networks and infrastructure in mountainous Afghanistan have hampered disaster responses in the past, preventing authorities for hours or even days from reaching far-flung villages to assess the extent of the damage. Major earthquakes It is the latest natural disaster for the Taliban government, which has faced three major deadly earthquakes since taking over Afghanistan in 2021, even as the foreign aid that formed the backbone of the country&#39;s economy has dramatically dropped. In August, a shallow 6.0-magnitude quake in the country&#39;s east wiped out mountainside villages and killed more than 2,200 people. Large tremors in western Herat, near the Iranian border, in 2023, and in eastern Nangarhar province in 2022 killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of homes. Rising hunger The United Nations and aid agencies have warned that hunger is rising among the Afghan population. Earthquakes are common in Afghanistan, particularly along the Hindu Kush mountain range, near where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet. Many homes in the predominantly rural country -- devastated by decades of war -- are shoddily built. It often takes hours or days to travel by steep roads and paths to remote villages, which are often cut off from help during disasters or poor weather.

Afghanistan

The city's famed Blue Mosque, a 15th-century landmark known for its vibrant tiles, was also damaged; pieces of the structure, particularly from one of its minarets, broke off and lay scattered across the mosque's grounds, one of the country's few remaining tourist spots.

Articles tagged with "NDMA"

Fresh western system brings heavy snowfall, rain to northern Pakistan

NDMA leads disaster risk reduction efforts at regional, global levels

Pakistan issues cold wave alert for northern regions

Afghanistan quake kills at least 20 people, injures over 300: health ministry