M A I N   N E W S

Snow, rain lash Himachal
3 Manimahesh pilgrims die of cold

Shimla, September 7
Higher reaches in the tribal areas and other high mountain passes in Himachal Pradesh had moderate snowfall while mid and lower hills were lashed by intermittent heavy rains during past 24 hours even as four more persons died in rain and snow-related incidents, raising the death toll to 23.

Three devotees on way to Manimahesh died due to cold following snowfall at Kamal Kund while one labourer was killed in a landslide at Terali bridge in the Tissa area of Chamba district.

The devotees were identified as Kishore Lal, a local youth, and Paras Ram and Fuli Ram from the Dunera area of Pathankot while the labourer was identified as Fattu of Kerali village.

The Manali peak, Ladakhi peak and Hanuman Tibba in Pir Panjar ranges, Manimahesh (4176 mt), the tribal Pangi valley and surrounding areas had the first moderate snowfall of the season, causing a sharp fall in the temperature. Wintry conditions were created in the adjoining valleys due to early snowfall.

The higher reaches in the tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti also experienced fresh snowfall while the lower areas were lashed by heavy rains, disrupting telecommunication services and hampering road traffic. The heavy rains caused anxiety among apple growers as the crops are ripe for harvesting.

Hamirpur and its surrounding areas were lashed by a squall followed by heavy rains causing damage to crops. The heavy rains caused landslides in the interiors, but the 320-km long Hindustan-Tibet National Highway was open to traffic, except for some disruption due to frequent hill-slips at Malling.

Shimla and its surrounding resorts of Kufri, Naldehra, Fagu and Wildflower Hall were lashed by heavy intermittent rains and the region remained fog-bound, hampering vehicular traffic. The vehicles were forced to move with headlights on at a snail’s pace due to poor visibility. The snowfall in higher reaches and rains in mid-hills caused a sharp fall in the temperature and mercury dropped to 12°C in Shimla during the day.

Reports of rains had also been received from Dharamsala, Kangra, Bilaspur, Sundernagar, Chamba, Kalpa, Kulu and other areas.

CHANDIGARH: The snowfall in Himachal Pradesh caused a sharp fall in mercury by — six to nine degrees below normal — in Punjab

The maximum temperature in and around Chandigarh plummeted today at 26.2°C, seven degrees below normal, following 29 mm rains during the day.

Ambala in Haryana had the maximum dipping to 24.6°C, nine degrees below normal following 25 mm rains. Patiala in Punjab too had the maximum falling by nine degrees below normal at 25°C and six mm rainfall. Ludhiana too settled for the maximum at 29.4 °C, six degrees below normal. PTI, UNI