Himachal Pradesh braces for more snow

Shimla, February 25

Himachal Pradesh is bracing for more snow as a cold wave continued to lash the state on Monday, the weather office said.

The western disturbances--storm systems originating from Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region--would be active again in the region till February 27 and thereafter on March 1-2, an official at the India Meteorological Department told IANS.

Prominent tourist towns like Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie might witness moderate snow, the weatherman added.

Shimla, which saw a low of 2.1 degrees Celsius on Monday, experienced snow last week like its neigbouring hill destinations Kufri, Mashobra and Narkanda.

Manali in Kullu district is still wrapped under a blanket of snow.

Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district was the coldest in the state at minus 9 degrees Celsius. It saw 2 cm snowfall in the past 24 hours.

It was minus 5 degrees in Kalpa, and 6.6 degrees in Dharamsala. Kalpa recorded 9 cm snow.

Those in the hospitality industry are happy as they expect a record footfall this week owing to chances of more snow.

“Snow is an added attraction for the tourists,” said DP Bhatia, Shimla-based liaison officer with the Oberoi Group of Hotels. IANS