The dense foggy condition, coupled with a cold wave, prevailed in most parts of the province on Thursday and is likely to continue in the coming days.
According to the Meteorological Department, moderate to dense foggy conditions would prevail in Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Hari Pur, Kohat, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, DI Khan, and Tank, as well as over Motorway M-1 and highways.
Similarly, cold conditions would persist over mountainous areas, including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Shangal, Buner, Abbottabad, Battagram, Kohistan, Mansehra, Torghar, Hangu, and other regions.
The Met Office warned that the mercury would drop from 3 to 5 °C due to the foggy conditions. While it could disrupt flight, railway, highway, and motorway operations, besides causing health issues, the temperature would significantly drop after the wet spell.
In the wake of the Met Office prediction, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has alerted all the district governments to adopt preventive measures to avoid untoward incidents.
The district administrations were asked to keep the travelers updated about the weather conditions and ensure the availability of all emergency services, staff, and machinery to cope with emergencies.
The NH&MP and traffic police were directed to issue smog and fog advisories, maintain traffic control during peak hours, and redirect traffic in affected areas to prevent congestion. PDMA advised farmers to take necessary precautions to safeguard against adverse crop effects due to a temperature drop. The general public was advised to keep their movements restricted and use face masks while going outside.
