M A I N   N E W S

Snow in HP disrupts life
Tribune News Service and agencies

SHIMLA, Feb 5 — Life was disrupted here as the town and its adjoining areas had the season’s heaviest snowfall today.

Most roads in the town where blocked as a thick layer of snow affected traffic. Men of the PWD have been engaged in clearing the roads.

The Hindustan-Tibet highway was blocked at Kufri and beyond. Most roads in the interior of the district leading to apple-growing areas were also closed.

The police said about 3 ft of snow was recorded at Kharapathar near Jubbal, 2 ft at Kufri and Narkanda and 13 inches at Theog.

The Jakhoo area of Shimla had about 8 inches of snow.

About 40 cm of snowfall was recorded at Mashobra near here.

This is the seventh snowfall of the season during which 103 cm of snow has been recorded so far against 54 cm during the winters last year.

It has been snowing in Shimla and its adjoining areas since yesterday. Reports of snowfall have also been received from the tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi, Bharmaur and the Dhauladhars in Kangra district.

The upper areas of Shimla district, including Jubbal, Rohru and Chopal, and the tourist resorts of Wildflower Hall, Kufri, Naldehra and Narkanda had moderate to heavy snowfall. More than a foot of snow had accumulated at Kufri and two feet each at Narkanda and Khadapathar.

Icy cold winds blew across Shimla town during the day as the mercury dipped to minus 0.4° C from 3.1° recorded yesterday.

The lower reaches in Kulu district and surrounding hills of Manali and the Solang nullah had moderate snowfall. Snow accompanied by rain lashed Manali town. Barog hills and the tourist place of Kasauli in Solan district had season’s first snowfall.

All lakes, including Chandertal (15,500 ft) and Surajtal (16,000 ft) Lakes in Lahaul-Spiti have frozen following a steep fall in the temperature ranging from 10° C to 15° C below the freezing point