Dalhousie, Kufri receive fresh snowfall

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 21

Strong velocity icy winds swept mid and higher hills of Himachal as high altitude tribal areas and other higher hills receive fresh snowfall while local MeT office warned of heavy rains or snow at isolated places on January 22.

The MeT office predicted thundershowers at most places in lower hills and rains or snow in mid and higher hills over the next four days aggravating cold wave conditions.

The sky remained heavily overcast in Shimla and surrounding which received traces of snow and light rains. Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district received 18 cm of snow, followed by Dalhousie 10 cm, Kalpa 7 mm, Pooh and Sangla 4 cm and Kufri 2 cm. Shimla was lashed by intermittent rains.

The high altitude tribal areas and Rohtang, Kunzam, Chansel and Saach passes had another spell of moderate snowfall, aggravating the cold wave conditions in adjoining valleys while the lowers hills had widespread moderate rains.

The maximum day temperatures dropped sharply and high altitude tribal areas reeled under piercing cold wave with minimum temperatures staying between minus 10 and minus 15 degrees.

In spite of periodical rains and snow, Himachal received 48 per cent deficit rains from January 1 to January 21, 2019. The deficit was 96 per cent in Sirmaur, 91 per cent in Una, 88 per cent in Solan, 75 per cent in Bilaspur, 69 per cent in Chamba and Kangra, 68 per cent in Shimla and 66 per cent in Hamirpur district.

Life paralysed in Bharmour, Pangi

Chamba: The mountainous ranges of Chamba district, including Bharmour, Pangi and the adjacent Pir Panjal mountain ranges, have been experiencing fresh heavy snow since Sunday night, the reports said on Monday. The entire region was reeling under intense cold wave conditions, paralysing the normal life in the high-altitude areas. Besides, the low-lying areas were having continuous rain, the reports said. OC