Shimla gets first snow of season, dry spell ends
The snow and rain bring relief and cheer to farmers and fruit-growers
Himachal Pradesh on Friday witnessed the first widespread snow of the season, bringing an end to the three-month dry spell in the state.
While the higher reaches of Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba had received snow earlier, most mountain regions had seen no snow till now.
Apart from the high-altitude areas of Shimla and Kinnaur, the state capital also witnessed snow. The higher regions of Shimla district, like Chopal, Rampur, Narkanda, Khadapathar and Kufri, have been receiving snow since morning.
At some places such as Deha and Chopal, roads have been closed for traffic due to heavy snow accumulation. Power supply has been disrupted at several places.
The Meteorological Department had issued an orange alert for widespread snow and rain on January 22 and 23. The precipitation is likely to continue through the day, according to the forecast.
The snow and rain have brought relief and cheer to farmers and fruit-growers, who had been under severe stress due to extreme dry conditions over the past three months. The snow is also expected to provide much-needed relief to the tourism sector.
