Wintry conditions revive following snow, rain in region

Chandigarh, Mar 12 (UNI) Winter-like conditions revived at most places in the north-west region following another spell of moderate to heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh and rain in the lower areas of the hilly state and plains of Punjab and Haryana for the second consecutive day today.

High velocity winds, accompanied by rain, swept certain areas, including Chandigarh, rattling window panes and blowing off hoardings.

Upper areas of Shimla district, including tourist resorts of Kufri, Narkanda and Fagu, had fresh snowfall which was preceded and followed by intermittent rain. Tourist place of Manali in Kullu district also experienced moderate snowfall.

Shimla was lashed by moderate rain which returned cold wave conditions in the capital town.

The 320-Km Hindustan-Tibet Road was closed to vehicular traffic beyond Shimla due to snowfall in upper areas of the district. The traffic bound for Rampur and other areas of Shimla district has been diverted via Moshobra-Sunni road, a report from Shimla said.

Vehicular traffic was also disrupted on the Chamba-Bharmour, Chamba-Tissa and Chamba-Bairagarh roads. However, Shimla-Mandi, Shimla-Dharamsala and Shimla-Kalka highways were open for movement of vehicles. The Shimla-Kalka railway line was also open to train traffic.

The entire tribal belt of Himachal Pradesh experienced heavy snowfall making the people groan under severe cold wave conditions in the tribal areas. The mercury fell to minus 3.1 degrees at Kalpa in Kinnaur district following heavy snowfall.

The 13050-foot high Rohtang Pass, gateway to tribal Lahaul Spiti district, and Dhauladhar mountain ranges, overlooking the picturesque Kangra Valley, also had snowfall since last night. The Rohtang Pass has been already closed both to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The fresh snowfall has raised the threat of avalanches and the people have been warned against crossing the Pass on foot.

Heavy rain pounded mid hills and lower areas of Himachal Pradesh, reviving cold climatic conditions and triggering landslides at certain places in the state. Moderate rain was reported from Sujanpur Tira, Naudan, Nagrota Surian, Guler, Pandoh, Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Suni and Kahu.

The Met office warned of heavy rain at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh in the next 24 hours.

Widespread rain lashed Punjab and Haryana overnight, but minimum temperatures hovered above normal. Ambala, Hissar, Karnal, Narnaul, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala had moderate rainfall till this morning.

Rains in the region have increased the chances of pesticide attack on gram crop and affected the early varieties of wheat crop which are near maturing, according to agriculture experts.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana were also lashed by moderate rain since last night. High speed winds, accompanied by rain, lashed the city since last night.

The weather office has predicted moderate to rather heavy rain or snow at most places in Himachal Pradesh and moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers at many places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours. Hailstorm or thundersquall with wind speed exceeding 45 km per hour is likely to hit few places in the area.

UNI