MIRPUR:With the much-awaited rains in plains and snowfall on upper reaches, the dry spell that persisted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for over past several months ended since Saturday night as the States’ top mountainous Neelam valley received its first snowfall in several of its areas.
Mercury fell to a greater extent turning the weather chilled in the top mountainous scenic Neelam valley of AJK that received the heaviest snowfall since late Saturday. The inclement weather led to a dip in the day’s temperature. However, the night temperature improved to intolerable chillness in the upper reaches of the liberated territory.
The persistent long dryness for the past several month caused seasonal diseases including allergy, flue and fever in various parts of AJK besides reducing the water level in rivers and dams to an alarming extent because of the lack of rains in the region as well.
Various parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir received first heaviest rainfall of the winter but of medium intensity in the plains
besides the snowfall at the scenic upper reaches of the State last night of Saturday and Sunday.
The inaugural downpour of the season coupled with a mild thunderstorm mid-last night turned the weather more chilly forcing the people to go into heavy clothing.
In the snow-clad top mountainous Neelam and Leepa vallies the locals were compelled to be confined into their houses to avert the negative impacts of the harshness of the suddenly changed chilly weather on normal life, a local journalist told this reporter AJK Correspondent from the snowy mountainous Neelam valley over the telephone on Sunday.
The metrological department, has, predicted the continuation of the rainfall in several plains and snowfall at the top mountainous parts of the AJK during the next 24 hours. The entire region has been passing through dry weather for last three to four months.