Shimla receives first snow of season

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 12

Shimla received the season’s first snowfall, delighting tourists and farmers, while widespread rain across the state and snowfall in the higher hills caused a sharp fall in the temperature.

High-velocity icy winds swept the region and the sky remained heavily overcast. Shimla and its surrounding areas — Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda — have been experiencing intermittent snowfall since morning.

Parts of Chamba and Kullu district also received mild snowfall.

The bad weather caused disruption in vehicular movement, but all major roads in the state remained open. The Public Works Department (PWD) has deployed men and machinery to clear roads for the smooth movement of vehicles.

All major roads within the Shimla urban area, including ambulance roads, are open, while only light vehicles are allowed to pass through the Rohru-Kharapathar road. The Chopal-Deha road, Chopal-Maraog road, Nerwa-Tharoch road, Kupvi-Haripurdhar road in Chopal, Nankhari-Khadrala road and Basabani-Khamadi road are blocked. Rampur-bound buses are being routed via Basantpur and Kingal.

Efforts are on to open all roads by tonight and commuters going to Theog and beyond in their own vehicles have been advised to drive cautiously as roads are slippery.

“There was no major disruption in the power supply. Water supply in Shimla and other places was also normal. Shops have stocked up on essential commodities,” Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap said.

The Rohtang, Kunzam and Chansel passes are covered under a thick blanket of impeccable snow, white Kalpa and Gondla received 13 cm and 12 cm of snow, followed by Kothi and Kufri 11 cm, Kharapathar 10 mm, Mashobra, Shimla 7 cm and Keylong 3 cm.

Solan received 18-mm rain, followed by Manali and Renuka 16 mm, Nahan and Sangrah 15 mm, Salooni 10 mm, Dharamsala and Rajgarh 9 mm, Kandaghat 8 mm, Dharampur 7 mm, Paonta Sahib, Baijnath and Kangra 6 mm, Seobagh and Banjar 3 mm.

The high-altitude tribal areas and mountain passes, which received 15 cm to 20 cm of fresh snow, reeled under severe cold as the minimum temperature stayed 10 to 15 degrees below the freezing point.

Keylong nd Kalpa recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees and minus 3.0 degrees, while Manali and Shimla shivered at minus 0.4 degrees and 0.4 degrees C. The mercury dipped to 3.3 degrees at Nahan, while Solan and Palampur recorded 5.0 degrees and 6.0 degrees C.

The Met office has predicted rain/thundershowers in the mid hills and rain/snow in the higher hills tomorrow. Dry weather has been predicted in the rest of the state from December 14 to 18.

Farmers are happy as snowfall during December is considered white manure for apple crop, while rain creates conducive conditions for sowing of rabi crop.

Fresh snowfall in Manali

Kullu: Rain and snow lashed the region for the second consecutive day. The tourist town of Manali experienced fresh snowfall.  Manali SDM Raman Garsanghi said in the wake of alerts issued by the Met Department, tourists were not allowed to go beyond Gulaba. He advised them to visit Palchan and Solang as there was adequate amount of snow there. There were no reports of major damages though electricity/water supply was hampered in many areas throughout the district. Showers have brought relief to agriculturists, with snow-covered hills delighting the tourists and locals. About 6-cm snow was recorded in Manali on Wednesday, while it is still snowing in the higher reaches. The sole Air India flight operating from Delhi to Kullu was also cancelled due to bad weather. The tourists enjoyed the fresh snowfall. Most parts of Lahaul-Spiti experienced moderate snowfall. The Rohtang Pass has been closed. Koksar rescue post incharge Pawan said the people would be allowed to cross the pass on foot, depending upon the weather conditions. OC

Chail wears white mantle 

Solan: Chail received the season’s first snowfall, cheering the local hotel industry. Rain lashed several parts of Solan district, with the temperature dipping to as low as 8 degrees Celsius at Kasauli.  Devinder Verma, a hotelier, said after a night-long intermittent spell of rain, snow lashed Chail and its surroundings areas around 4 am and continued for about four hours. The inclement weather, however, disrupted the power supply and  hoteliers said they had to use generator sets the entire night. Power was restored by evening. The  Chail-Kufri road has been closed.  The hoteliers are hopeful of receiving a fair tourist rush.  The Karol peak, overlooking Solan, also witnessed snowfall this morning, thus causing a steep dip in the temperature in the town and its surrounding areas. The Churdhar peak in Sirmaur district also received snow,  with the  entire area wearing  a white mantle as the people welcomed it early this morning. Hripurdhar, Nohradha and  Gattadhar were the other areas that received snow. TNS

Traffic movement hit in Chamba

Our Correspondent 

Dalhousie, December 12 

A heavy snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Chamba district has blocked roads, hampering the smooth flow of traffic, according to official reports reaching here on Wednesday.  

The reports revealed that the Dalhousie-Khajjiar road had been blocked at Lakkarmandi due a heavy snowfall. 

The Chamba-Shimla road via Jot had also been covered under heavy snow at Jot, the report added.  

Bharmour, Pangi and the Pir Panjal mountains had been experiencing snow for the past 24 hours, paralysing the normal life, the reports said.