At least 14 people die as heavy rains and snowfall wreak Pakistan

Heavy snow and showers claimed at least 14 lives in different parts of Balochistan, a province in Western Pakistan, Report says, citing Dawn.

Met officials said heavy snowfall in Quetta had already broken the 20-year record. “In Qilla Saifullah, the Met Office recorded three- to four-foot snow, which was [more than] double the usual one - to 1.5-foot snow,” said Chief Meteo­rologist Dr. Azmat Hayat Khan.

According to the information, in some areas of Baluchistan, the volume of precipitation in recent days has broken records 20 years ago. Several flights were suspended due to bad weather at the international airport in Quetta. Ecologists forecast snowfall and downpours are to continue here for at least a few more days.

Traffic disrupted throughout the province, with trains leaving and arriving here with significant delays. Highway Kozak Pass, linking neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan, filled up with snow, which led to the formation of traffic jams on both sides of the border length of several kilometers.

Authorities note that the death toll is preliminary, and declare their intention to evacuate residents of the affected areas.