ALTAF HAMID RAO.
MIRPUR (AJK): December 27: With the much-awaited rains in plains and snowfall on higher reaches, the dry spell that persisted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for over past several of months dropped on Friday as the States’ top mountainous Neelam and Leepa valleies and plains including this lake district received second spell of snowfall at several of its areas.

Mercury fell down to exceprional extent turning weather chilled in top mountainous scenic Neelam and Leepa vallies of AJK that received the heaviest 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 upper reaches of the liberated territory.

The persistent long dryness for past several of month 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 heaviest rainfall of the winter but of the medium intensity in the plains besides the snowfall at the scenic upper reaches of the State mid last night.

The inaugural down pour of the season coupled with mild thunder storm mid last night turned the weather more chilly forcing the people to go into the heavy clothing.

In the snow-clad 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 Iqbal told this AJK Correspondent from the snowy mountainous Neelam valley over telephone on Friday.

At the same time, the metrological department, has, predicted continuation of the rainfall in several of plains and snowfall at top mountainous parts of the AJK during next 24 hours. The entire state was passing through the dry weather since about last four months.