ISLAMABAD: The winter’s cold wave has formally made its entry with snowfall over the hills in country’s northwestern upper parts where people are experiencing intense cold.

The mercury has dropped to minus 2 degrees centigrade in some of the areas including Kalam, Swat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Chitral where snowfall occurred Saturday night.

The snowfall blocked the Lowari top to traffic with dozens of loaded trucks and vehicles stranded in the area. Many Chitral-bound passengers were forced to stay at hotels in Dir due to closure of Lowari top and Lowari tunnel.

The tunnel is expected to reopen on Friday.