Tribal areas reel under piercing cold

Shimla, November 18

The high-altitude tribal areas and other higher hills reeled under the piercing cold wave conditions as the mercury dipped further and stayed eight to 12 degree below freezing point in spite of dry weather.

All natural sources of water like springs, lakes, rivulets and tributaries have frozen, drastically reducing the discharge of water in snowfed rivers, affecting hydropower generation.

The minimum temperature dropped to minus 6.2 degree at Keylong, 1.2 degree at Manali, 2.4 degree at Kalpa, 3.8 degree at Bhuntar, 6.2 degree at Solan and 9.7 degree in Shimla, one to four degree below normal.

The local MeT office has predicted rain or snow in higher hills from November 20 to 23, rain and snow in mid hills from November 21 to 23 and dry weather in the region from November 24.

There was no significant change in the day temperature and Una was the hottest with a high of 27.4 degree while Sundernagar recorded the maximum at 25.8 degree, followed by Solan and Keylong 24.5 degree, Shimla 19.9 degree and Kufri 10.7 degree. — TNS