COURTESY HT JAN 9
Tourists head for hills as Shimla gets season’s heaviest snowfall
Disruption Overnight snowfall snaps water and power supply; 150 link roads to state capital closed
Tourists and locals strolling on The Ridge during heavy snowfall in Shimla on Wednesday. Deepak Sansta/HT
HT Correspondent
letterschd@hindustantimes.com
SHIMLA : The capital of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday witnessed the season’s heaviest snowfall, which snapped internal road links and disrupted water and power supply but tourists headed for the hills to make merry.
“Shimla and its adjoining tourist destinations of Kufri and Narkanda experienced overnight snowfall and this was the heaviest till date this season,” an official of the meteorological department said here.
As news of the snowfall spread, tourists flocked to these destinations. “We had been awaiting a heavy spell of snow for many days,” said Nidhi Khanna, a tourist from Chandigarh, who was in Shimla along with her friends.
Shimla, which saw a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, recorded more than 20 cm of snowfall, while Kufri and Mashobra recorded more than 40 cm of snowfall each. The snowy landscape in Shimla will stay this way for two-three days, an official of the Met office said.
43 stranded tourists rescued near Shimla
Superintendent of police Shimlam Omapati Jamwal said “As many as 24 tourists including four children from Delhi were rescued near Koti village, Shimla.
One person of Pinjore was rescued from Jablanda near Naldehra, five persons from Jind in Haryana were rescued from Mashobra and thirteen persons of Haryana were rescued near Hassan valley near Dhalli.”
ROADS BLOCKED, WATER POWER SUPPLY HIT
Residents had a tough time as several link roads leading to Shimla town have been blocked and water supply has been disrupted in Jakhu and US Club areas. Localities, including Jakhu, Chhota Shimla, Kasumpati and Ram Chandra Chowk, are without electricity.
As many as 88 link roads are blocked in Shimla district, including 68 in Rohru sub division. Vehicles going from Shimla to Rampur Bushahr are being diverted through Basantpur. The Shimla district administration has deployed machinery for road clearance but continuous snowfall is hampering work.
Manali, which experienced a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, recorded 22 cm of snowfall. Rohtang Pass, 52 km from Manali, also got heavy snowfall.
Dalhousie in Chamba district received 35 cm of snowfall and the minimum temperature fell to -1.4 degrees.
Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district got 16cm and 8cm of snowfall, respectively. These towns saw the night temperature fall to 2.8 degrees and 5.6 degrees Celsius below freezing point.
State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said, “Due to fresh western disturbance, heavy snowfall and rainfall is expected to continue in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and parts of Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Kinnaur districts. The weather will be clear on January 9 and 10.
Fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region from January 11,” he added.
Mandi: Life disrupted in upper regions
Snowfall in the district over the last two days has now been wreaking havoc, as roads are closed to traffic and electric and water supply to in the district have been disrupted.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Shravan Manta said that 83 roads have been closed to traffic due to snowfall and appealed to public to refrain from going to the upper reaches during snowfall.
Snow has also affected water supply. With water in pipes frozen, water is being arranged by melting ice. According to farmers, the incessant snowfall over last three days is very good for horticulture.
(With IANS input)
HT Correspondent
letterschd@hindustantimes.com
SHIMLA : The capital of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday witnessed the season’s heaviest snowfall, which snapped internal road links and disrupted water and power supply but tourists headed for the hills to make merry.
“Shimla and its adjoining tourist destinations of Kufri and Narkanda experienced overnight snowfall and this was the heaviest till date this season,” an official of the meteorological department said here.
As news of the snowfall spread, tourists flocked to these destinations. “We had been awaiting a heavy spell of snow for many days,” said Nidhi Khanna, a tourist from Chandigarh, who was in Shimla along with her friends.
Shimla, which saw a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, recorded more than 20 cm of snowfall, while Kufri and Mashobra recorded more than 40 cm of snowfall each.
The snowy landscape in Shimla will stay this way for two-three days, an official of the Met office said.
43 stranded tourists rescued near Shimla
Superintendent of police Shimlam Omapati Jamwal said “As many as 24 tourists including four children from Delhi were rescued near Koti village, Shimla. One person of Pinjore was rescued from Jablanda near Naldehra, five persons from Jind in Haryana were rescued from Mashobra and thirteen persons of Haryana were rescued near Hassan valley near Dhalli.”
Deepak Sansta/HTLife came to a standstill after heavy snowfall in Shimla on Wednesday.
ROADS BLOCKED, WATER AND POWER SUPPLY HIT
Residents had a tough time as several link roads leading to Shimla town have been blocked and water supply has been disrupted in Jakhu and US Club areas. Localities, including Jakhu, Chhota Shimla, Kasumpati and Ram Chandra Chowk, are without electricity.
As many as 88 link roads are blocked in Shimla district, including 68 in Rohru sub division. Vehicles going from Shimla to Rampur Bushahr are being diverted through Basantpur. The Shimla district administration has deployed machinery for road clearance but continuous snowfall is hampering work.
Khada Pathar got 60cm of snowfall, Khadrala in Shimla district received 33cm of snowfall, Theog 12cm, Jubbal 7.5cm and Gondla 18.5cm of snowfall.
Heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places, including 49mm in Nadaun in Hamirpur, 44mm at Naina Devi in Bilaspur, 36mm in Rampur Bushahr and 34mm in Karsog in Mandi.
Solan and Palampur towns recorded 46 mm and 42 mm of rainfall, respectively.
Deepak Sansta/HTResidents on a street in the Sanjauli area of Shimla on Wednesday morning.
RESPITE IN SIGHT
Manali, which experienced a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, recorded 22 cm of snowfall. Rohtang Pass, 52 km from Manali, also got heavy snowfall. Dalhousie in Chamba district received 35 cm of snowfall and the minimum temperature fell to -1.4 degrees.
Kalpa, 250 km from the state capital, and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district got 16cm and 8cm of snowfall, respectively. These towns saw the night temperature fall to 2.8 degrees and 5.6 degrees Celsius below freezing point.
State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said, “Due to fresh western disturbance, heavy snowfall and rainfall is expected to continue in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and parts of Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Kinnaur districts. The weather will be clear on January 9 and 10. Fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region from January 11,” he added. (With IANS input)
BOX__Heavy snowfall disrupts life in upper region Mandi
Mandi: Snowfall in the district over the last two days has now been wreaking havoc, as raods are closed to traffic and electric and water supply to in the district have been disrupted.
Additional district magistrate (ADM) Shravan Manta said that 83 roads have been closed to traffic due to snowfall. Even though departmental teams have been engaged for restoration of services, work is impeded by heavy snowfall. He appealed to public to refrain from going to the upper reaches during snowfall.
Most rural roads in Seraj and Drang segment of Mandi district are closed to traffic due to snowfall. Heavy snowfall has been recorded atop hills at Shikari Devi (12,000 feet height) in Janjehali area, Shaitadhar and Kamrunag (at 14,000 feet height) of Gohar sub division.
Heavy snowfall is causing drinking water scarcity in the upper reaches of the district. As water in pipes has frozen, water is being arranged by melting ice.
According to farmers, the incessant snowfall over last three days is very good for horticulture.
_________________________
HT Correspondent
letterschd@hindustantimes.com
SHIMLA : The capital of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday witnessed the season’s heaviest snowfall, which snapped internal road links and disrupted water and power supply but tourists headed for the hills to make merry.
“Shimla and its adjoining tourist destinations of Kufri and Narkanda experienced overnight snowfall and this was the heaviest till date this season,” an official of the meteorological department said here.
As news of the snowfall spread, tourists flocked to these destinations. “We had been awaiting a heavy spell of snow for many days,” said Nidhi Khanna, a tourist from Chandigarh, who was in Shimla along with her friends.
Shimla, which saw a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, recorded more than 20 cm of snowfall, while Kufri and Mashobra recorded more than 40 cm of snowfall each.
The snowy landscape in Shimla will stay this way for two-three days, an official of the Met office said.
43 stranded tourists rescued near Shimla
Superintendent of police Shimlam Omapati Jamwal said “As many as 24 tourists including four children from Delhi were rescued near Koti village, Shimla. One person of Pinjore was rescued from Jablanda near Naldehra, five persons from Jind in Haryana were rescued from Mashobra and thirteen persons of Haryana were rescued near Hassan valley near Dhalli.”
Deepak Sansta/HTLife came to a standstill after heavy snowfall in Shimla on Wednesday.
ROADS BLOCKED, WATER AND POWER SUPPLY HIT
Residents had a tough time as several link roads leading to Shimla town have been blocked and water supply has been disrupted in Jakhu and US Club areas. Localities, including Jakhu, Chhota Shimla, Kasumpati and Ram Chandra Chowk, are without electricity.
As many as 88 link roads are blocked in Shimla district, including 68 in Rohru sub division. Vehicles going from Shimla to Rampur Bushahr are being diverted through Basantpur. The Shimla district administration has deployed machinery for road clearance but continuous snowfall is hampering work.
Khada Pathar got 60cm of snowfall, Khadrala in Shimla district received 33cm of snowfall, Theog 12cm, Jubbal 7.5cm and Gondla 18.5cm of snowfall.
Heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places, including 49mm in Nadaun in Hamirpur, 44mm at Naina Devi in Bilaspur, 36mm in Rampur Bushahr and 34mm in Karsog in Mandi.
Solan and Palampur towns recorded 46 mm and 42 mm of rainfall, respectively.
Deepak Sansta/HTResidents on a street in the Sanjauli area of Shimla on Wednesday morning.
RESPITE IN SIGHT
Manali, which experienced a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, recorded 22 cm of snowfall. Rohtang Pass, 52 km from Manali, also got heavy snowfall. Dalhousie in Chamba district received 35 cm of snowfall and the minimum temperature fell to -1.4 degrees.
Kalpa, 250 km from the state capital, and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district got 16cm and 8cm of snowfall, respectively. These towns saw the night temperature fall to 2.8 degrees and 5.6 degrees Celsius below freezing point.
State meteorological department director Manmohan Singh said, “Due to fresh western disturbance, heavy snowfall and rainfall is expected to continue in Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur and parts of Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Kinnaur districts. The weather will be clear on January 9 and 10. Fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the region from January 11,” he added. (With IANS input)