More snow in tribal areas of HP

Shimla, Mar 28 (UNI) Cold wave conditions sweeping high altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh continued today with the entire tribal belt and other high mountain ranges and passes experiencing mild snowfall during the last 24 hrs.

The tribal valleys of Lahaul, Spiti, Pangi, Bharmaur and higher hills of tribal Kinnaur district and Kullu district experienced intermittent mild snowfall last night, making people reel under freezing cold wave conditions.

Dhundi in Kullu district and Kalpa in Kinnuar district recorded 30 cm and 21 cm snow respectively, while Petsio in Lahaul-Spiti district received about four cm snow last night.

The lower areas of the tribal districts of Kinnuar, Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti were lashed by light showers last night and official sources said the temperatures during the month were lower then in January and February.

The minimum temperature stayed between minus seven and minus 15 degrees Celsius in the tribal districts, while the minimum night temperature dipped to minus 1.4 degrees at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

A report from Chamba, said light vehicles were plying on the Chamba-Bharmaur road, which had remained blocked for two days due to a massive landslide on the road.

Telephone lines were down in the district and the telecom department was working round the clock to make them functional, official sources said.

Shimla and its adjoining areas and the famous tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district were greeted with bright sunshine today, while the day and night temperatures in mid and lower hills of the state remained steady.

The state capital recorded a night temperature of 3.9 and a day temperature of 15.5 degrees, while Sundernagar and Bhuntar recorded a low of 8.9 and 9.1 degrees respectively and high of 25.7 and 23.4 degree Celsius.

Sundernagar recorded 8.2 mm, Bhuntar 4.8, Shimla 2.2, and 14 mm of rain during the last 24 hrs.

The Met office has predicted rain and snow at isolated places of the state in the next 24 hrs.

UNI AS HS MSJ GC1837