Snow in Shimla and widespread rains in HP

Shimla, Mar 1 (UNI) Shimla and its adjoining areas experienced another spell of fresh snowfall early today in five years in March, plummeting temperatures and intensifying coldwave conditions in the state.

Shimla recorded 30 cm of snow up till 0830 hrs and another seven cm by 1130 hrs today in five years after March 2, 2002 when it recorded 45.9 cm of snow, besides recording 27.6 mm of rain during the past 24 hrs, Shimla Meteorological Office Director Manmohan Singh told UNI here.

He said the western disturbance, which was now over Himachal Pradesh, was likely to bring more precipitation to the western part of the state during the next 24 hrs.

However, higher moisture level was likely to bring more precipitation in the remaining parts of the state, even as more snow was expected in the higher altitude areas of the tribal districts during the next 24 hrs, Mr Singh said.

Coldwave conditions have intensified in Himachal Pradesh with heavy snow in the higher altitude areas and widespread rains in the mid and lower hills of the state during the past three days with the district headquarter of Rekong Peo of Kinnuar district recording 45 cm of fresh snow early today.

The higher altitude areas of the district were under three to five feet of snow, disrupting vehicular traffic on National Highway No 22 beyond Kufri, 17 km from here after heavy snow at Khara Patthar and Narkanda.

Official sources said vehicles bound for Upper Shimla and Kinnuar district have been diverted via Mashobra and Suni, while efforts on to the clear snow off the roads and restore traffic.

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