Snowfall at parts of HP, state reels under cold conditions

Most parts of Himachal Pradesh continued to reel under severe cold conditions as tribal areas and other higher hills had another spell of moderate snowfall whilemid and lower hills were lashed by strong icy winds.

Meanwhile, a 60-year-old man was today found dead in the gallery of a Dharamsala here and police are suspecting that he died due to severe cold.

The Theog-Hatkoti road was blocked due to heavy landslide near Badvi, 75 km from here, and efforts are on to clear the road, a spokesman of Public Works Department said.

Bharmaur, Keylong and Kalpa in tribal belt experienced 10.2 cm,9 cm and 6 cm of snow respectively while Salooni and Chhatrari recorded 5 cm of snowfall each.
 

The Rohtang Pass, Kunzam Pass and other higher hills also received fresh snowfall, aggravating the cold wave conditions in adjoining valley areas.

Scattered rains occurred at isolated places and Khrei, Chamba and Rohroo and recorded 16 mm, 10 mm and 8 mm rains followed by Dharamsala 6 mm and Manali 2 mm.

The mercury stayed at minus 7.5 degrees Celsius and minus 7.4 at Keylong and Kalpa in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts respectively while Manali and Shimla recorded minimum temperatures at minus 4 degrees Celsius and minus 0.6 degrees Celsius.

Shimla was followed by Bhuntar 1.0 degrees Celsius, Solan 1.6 degree and Nahan 3.5 degrees Celsius.

However, maximum temperatures rose marginally and Una was hottest in the region with a high of 17.4 degrees while Sundernagar and Solan recorded maximum day temperature at 16.5 degrees Celsius and 16.4 respectively.

Solan was followed by Nahan 15.3 degrees Celsius, Bhuntar 13.5, Dharamsala 12.8, Shimla 11, Manali 4.6 and Kalpa0.6 degrees Celsius.

The 60-year-old man from Tissa area of Chamba was found dead today in the gallery of Puranmal Dharamsala here. The body has been shifted to IGMC for further legal proceedings.

The cause of death is yet to ascertained but it could be due to severecold at night, police said.

The local MeT department has predicted rains or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills from tomorrow upto January 24 as yesterday's induced upper air cyclonic circulation now lies overHaryanaand adjoining Punjab.