ALTAF HAMID RAO.
MIRPUR (AJK), (Parliament Times) : With the much-awaited rains in plains and on upper reaches, the dry spell that persisted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for over last three months ended since mid last night of Thursday and Friday.
Mercury fell down to greater extent turning weather chilled in top upper reaches of the scenic Neelam and Leepa vallies of AJK that received the first snowfall since late Thursday.
The inclement weather led to a dip in the day temperature. However, the night temperature improved to intolerable chillness in the top mountainous terrain of the liberated territory.
The persistent long dryness for past over
three months caused seasonal diseases including allergy, flue and fever in various parts of AJK besides reducing the water level in rivers and dams to alarming extent because of the lack of rains in the region as well.
Various parts of Azad Jammu & Kashmir received first rainfall of the winter in the plains besides as well as at the upper reaches of the State mid last night of Thursday and Friday in various parts of AJK including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Neelam and Leepa valleys, Kotli, Bhimbher, Rawalakot besides some adjoining areas of the state lashed with the opening light down pour of the season coupled with mild thunder storm mid last night turning the weather more chilly and forcing the people to go into the heavy clothing.
In the fully chilled top mountainous Neelam and Leepa vallies the locals were compelled to be confined into their houses to avert negative impacts of the harshness of the suddenly changed chilly weather on the normal life, a local journalist Khawaja Shahid Ahmed told AJK Correspondent from the top mountainous Neelam valley over telephone on Friday.
In Mirpur, light rains, started at the mid last night which continued intermittently till wee hours Friday
Metrological department, has, .meanwhile, predicted continuation of the rainfall in plains and snowfall at top mountainous parts of the AJK during next 72 hours. The entire region was passing through the dry weather since about last 03 months
