Widespread rain, snow in region

Tribune News Service

Shimla/Chandigarh, Jan 13

Widespread rain lashed many parts in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal, dampening the Lohri celebrations in the region. Many parts of Himachal Pradesh and J&K also witnessed snowfall, disrupting normal life and hampering restoration works.

Keylong and Kalpa in the tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts received 45 cm and 33 cm of snow, respectively while Rohtang Pass and the Pin valley recorded 60 cm to 90 cm of snow, respectively.

Moderate to heavy rain lashed the mid and lower hills. Jawali and Manali recorded 28 mm and 26 mm rain, respectively, followed by Bhabanagar 25 mm, Chamba 22 mm, and Bilaspur 21 mm.

In view of the warning issued by the local Met office, JCBs were deployed every two kilometres on the Dhalli-Fagu stretch and directions were issued to clear snow immediately, said Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap, adding that machinery was also deployed at vulnerable points in Shimla city.

The rain over parts of Punjab and Haryana and their common capital Chandigarh was caused by a Western Disturbance, a Met department official said.

In Punjab, there was rainfall in Mohali, Ropar, Hoshiarpur, Phagwara, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Muktsar and Patiala among other places. Rain lashed Ambala, Panchkula and Kurukshetra in Haryana, he said.

Lohri festivities in several places were dampened due to the heavy downpour.

The market places, which are usually crowded during Lohri, wore a desolate look. (With inputs from PTI)

Manali Nh blocked

Shimla: As many as 359 roads, including the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, are blocked in HP. With intermittent rain continuing in the region, more roads are likely be closed. A maximum of 230 roads are closed in the Shimla zone, 95 in Mandi zone and 31 in Kangra zone.

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