Snow, rain bring down mercury in Himachal Pradesh
Two national highways among roads closed in high-altitude areas of state; more snow forecast from February 9
The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received overnight snowfall, while isolated places in the lower hills got rain on Monday morning, bringing down the temperature.
Two national highways in Lahaul and Spiti district were closed due to the snowfall in high-altitude areas. “The highway connecting the North Portal of Atal Tunnel to Darcha is closed,” Lahaul and Spiti superintendent of police Manav Verma said, adding that the Darcha-Shinku La and Zanskar roads were also closed.
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National Highway 505 that connects Koksar to Losar was closed besides state highway 26 that links Tandi to Kuddu Nullah.
Shimla meteorological centre director Surender Paul said that Koksar got 3.4cm of snowfall, Kukumseri 1.7cm and Keylong 1cm. Bharmour was the wettest place in the state with 12.3mm of rainfall followed by 3mm in Banjar and 1.6mm in Mandi.
Another spell of snow and rain is forecast from February 9 when a fresh western disturbance becomes active over the region.
Keylong, the administrative centre of Lahaul and Spiti district, was the coldest at -6.5? Celsius followed by -3.9?C in Kukumseri and -1?C in Kalpa. Narkanda recorded a low of 0.3?C, while Reckong Peo shivered at 1.6?C. State capital Shimla recorded a low of 4.4?C and Manali 5?C.