Shimla receives first snow of season, 4 NHs blocked in HP

Around 3 to 4 inches of snow accumulated on top of Jakhu

The state capital received the first snowfall of the season on Friday. Around 3 to 4 inches of snow accumulated on top of Jakhu. The snow hampered vehicular movement along the circular road.

Houses and trees covered in a sheet of white in Kufri near Shimla on Friday.

Four national highways (NH) and several main and lateral roads connecting villages and towns in four districts of HP were cut off due to snowfall.

Many vehicles were stranded after intermittent snowfall in Shimla, Kinnaur, Chamba and Sirmaur districts threw life out of gear. NH-305 connecting Sainj to Luhri and NH-505 from Powari to Reckong Peo were closed for traffic. NH-22, also known as the old Hindustan-Tibet road, was closed beyond Kufri, while the stretch between Theogh and Hatkoti on NH-705 was shut after heavy snowfall at Kharapathar.

The Hindustan Tibet Road was opened to traffic in the afternoon but the slippery road between Matiana to Narkanda added to drivers’ woes.

Snow affected the water and electricity supply in Shimla and Kinnaur district . National Highway 505 was blocked in three places in Kinnaur, including Pooh, Moorang and Yangthang. Snow also affected water supply in Yanthang, Moorang and Sangla .

Around 1-3 ft of snow accumulated in Kinnaur . “Efforts are on to clear these roads. Many roads have been thrown open, work is on he war footing to clear off other roads ,” said public works department chief engineer RK Verma.

Bus service to Rampur Bushar has been diverted via Basantpur.

Scores of roads have also been closed in Lahaul and Spiti in Chamba district.

KEYLONG COLDEST AT -3.3 DEGREES

Kalpa in Kinnaur district received 23 cm of snowfall, while Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district got 12.5 cm of snowfall. Manali in Kullu district received 12 cm of snowfall. Kufri, Kharapathar, Narkanda and Khadrala in Shimla district also got snow.

State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said, “Snow and rain will continue throughout the state till Saturday and in middle and higher hills of the state till Sunday after which the weather will remain dry.”

Minimum temperatures were one to two degrees below normal. The low in Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie and Dharamshala were 1.9, -1.6, -1.5 and 2.6 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperatures were 5.9, 4.2, 3 and 9.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The minimum temperature in Kufri was -2.6 degrees and the maximum was zero. The lowest temperature in Himachal was -3.3 degrees, recorded in Keylong.