The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, under the guidance of the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Tuesday commenced the process of developing the Winter Contingency Plan for 2023-24 in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. The primary objectives are to minimize disaster risks, identify hazards, assess risks, and map available resources to enhance preparedness and ensure a coordinated and prompt response. In this context, a crucial pre-winter planning and orientation meeting was convened with the Provincial Line Departments, chaired by PDMA Director General, Janat Gul Afridi. Director General Janat Gul Afridi said, “We have initiated the Winter Contingency Planning process involving all stakeholders, and the plan is expected to be finalized by mid-November. We have developed data collection tools and shared them with stakeholders, including information on district/sector-specific hazards, vulnerability profiles, hazard impacts, damages, compensation details, resource mapping, needs assessments, and coordination efforts.” He added, “Through the upcoming contingency plan, our aim is to mitigate potential losses caused by winter-related natural hazards including extreme low temperatures, fog/smog, snowfall, rainfall, landslides, flash floods and seismic activity in the mountainous north and west.” The Winter Contingency Plan will categorize districts based on Vulnerability and Risk Assessment, ranging from very high to low vulnerability levels. Each weather pattern will have its own set of contingencies. The unique geography, terrain, and natural resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expose the province to various climate-related challenges during both summer and winter. Regions such as Malakand and Hazara Divisions, due to their high altitudes, face extreme winter conditions for approximately four months, from December to March, which include low temperatures, fog/smog, snowfall, rainfall, landslides, avalanches, and the consequent disruption of transportation.