Rains, snowfall hit normal life in North India

Inclement weather conditions persisted in North India today as moderate to heavy showers continued to lash various parts of the region after a day of record-breaking rainfall. In Himachal Pradesh, that is witnessing heavy snowfall for past few days, five persons went missing today while three others were injured when an avalanche hit some houses in Kafnu village of Kinnaur district. The missing persons, however, were later rescued by the administration this evening, Deputy Commissioner J M Pathania said. The higher reaches in the state and mid hills, including capital Shimla are experiencing intermittent heavy snowfall since last night and various parts of the town recorded 15 to 30 cm of snow till this morning. The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh chaired an emergency meeting in the capital to review the situation. Delhi, which witnessed a record-breaking rainfall yesterday, heaved a sigh of relief as the weather in the national capital remained mainly clear today. The minimum temperature in the city settled seven notches above normal at 15.4 degrees Celsius, Met officials said. The weatherman forecasts a clear sky for tomorrow, with shallow fog in the morning. Kashmir Valley, however, reeled under cold wave, with the night temperatures dropping by several notches in many parts of the state after two days of rains and snowfall. Capital Srinagar recording 9.6 mm of rainfall during the night, while the gateway town of Qazigund in south Kashmir received a rainfall of 29.2 mm, Met officials said. While temperature in the summer capital dropped by over two notches to settle at a low of minus 1.3 degrees, mercury in Gulmarg plummeted by around eight notches to register a low of minus 13.0 degrees. MORE