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MIRPPUR (AJK), Feb 20 (APP):With the much-awaited rains in plains and snowfall on higher reaches, the much-prolonged dry spell that persisted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) for over four months, ended wee hours on Thursday.
Mercury fallen down to greater extent turning weather chilled once again at top upper reaches of the scenic Neelam and Leepa vallies and the plains of AJK that received the first snow and rainfall since mid last night.
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 4 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 heaviest rainfall of the winter in the plains besides the snowfall at the upper reaches of the state from mid last night including Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Neelam and Leepa valleys, Kotli, Bhimbher and Rawalakot.
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 APP from the snowy mountainous Neelam valley over telephone .
In Mirpur, the rains, with storm of mild intensity, started at the mid last night which continued intermittently till filing of this report Thursday afternoon.
The Metrological department has predicted continuation of the rainfall in plains and snowfall at top mountainous parts of the AJK during next 24 hours.