2 tourists die of suspected cold in Shimla

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 17

The piercing cold wave sweeping most parts of the state further tightened its grip, reportedly killing two more tourists from Delhi in Shimla.

A newly-wed tourist from Basant Vihar in New Delhi Satyajeet Singh (30) died while he was enjoying a horse riding in Kufri, about 13 km from here.

Sources said he felt pain in the chest and was rushed to the IGMC, Shimla, where he was declared brought dead. Satyajeet Singh came to Shimla to enjoy snow along with his wife and relatives. Post-mortem would be conducted tomorrow, senior medical superintendent, IGMC, Dr Ramesh said.

In another incident, 75-year-old Lakhpatra Gupta from Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi died near the Sankat Mochan temple. It is yet to be ascertained whether he died of cold or some other reason, but his relatives claimed he died of cardiac arrest due to cold.

Meanwhile, mercury dropped by a few notches and tribal areas and other higher hills and mountain passes froze under sub-zero temperature ranging between -15 and - 22 degree C.

Lahaul and Spiti, Pangi and Bharmaur in Chamba district and upper areas of Shimla and Kullu remained cut off due to heavy show while efforts are on to restore road links and power supply in the affected areas.

Roads linking Chopal, Nerwa and Deha have been cleared of snow and electricity supply has also been restored to Nerwa and Chopal while other roads are being cleared, DC, Shimla, Rohan Chand Thakur said.

In spite of dry weather, sky remained partially overcast and strong velocity icy winds lashed Shimla and adjoining areas.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a low of -11.3 degree, while Manali and Kalpa shivered at -7.6 degree and -6.8 degree, a drop of six degree since yesterday. Mercury dropped to 1 degree at Bhuntar followed by Sundernagar 1.5 degree, Shimla 1.6 degree, Solan 1.8 degree, Kangra 4.6 degree, Nahan 4.7 degree, Dharamsala 6.4 degree and Una 6.9 degree.

The maximum day temperatures also dipped by a few notches and Solan was warmest in the region with a high of 14.4 degree, followed by Sundernagar 13.7 degree, Nahan 13.3 degree, Dharamsala 12.8 degree, Bhuntar 12 degree, Una 11.6 degree, Shimla 9.1 degree, Manali 5.6 degree and Kalpa 1.0 degree.

The region experienced widespread rain in the past 24 hours and Sri Naina Devi in Bilaspur district was the wettest with 36 mm rain, while Kheri, Jogindernagar and Gohar received 27 mm, 15 mm and 14 mm of rain, followed by Rohru 10 mm, Pandoh 9 mm, Kotkhai, Seobagh and Bhuntar 8 mm, Paonta 7 mm. Dharamsala and Kumarsein had 6 mm rain.

The local MeT office has predicted rain or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills over next five days as an induced upper air cyclonic circulation over northwest Rajasthan and adjoining Punjab and Haryana now lies over Haryana and adjoining Punjab while another western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir has moved away northeast wards. A large number of residents resorted to heating frozen pipes to get water.