Shimla lashed by thunderstorm, tribal areas has more snow

Shimla, Feb 7 (PTI) Shimla and other mid hills were lashed bya severe thunderstorm accompanied by intermittent rains, whiletribal areas in Himachal Pradesh had another spell of moderatesnowfall, causing a drop in the minimum temperature at severalplaces.

The thunderstorm blew off roofs of some houses, boardsand hoardings at some places and uprooted trees.

Strong velocity icy winds swept Shimla and adjoiningareas, forcing people to stay indoors.

The minimum temperature plummeted to 5.0 degree C and 4.3degree C in Dharamsala while it dropped by a few notches tostay at 7.2 degree C, 7.9 degree C, 8.5 degree and 9.5 degreeC at Bhuntar, Una, Solan and Palampur.

The minimum temperatures were one to six degrees abovenormal compared to four to 12 degree above normal yesterday.

Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaurdistricts recorded 27 cm and 16.1 cm of fresh snow, even asminimum temperatures increased marginally to minus 3.9 degreeC and minus 0.8 degree C, three degrees above normal.

Higher reaches in tribal areas also experienced freshsnowfall while Rohtang Pass (13,050 ft) and Kunzam Pass had 30cm of snow.

The key tourist resort of Manali received 36 mm of rains,followed by Saloni 33 mm, Seobagh and Tissa 17 mm each Nadaun,Ghamroor and Bangana 7 mm each, Jungi 6 mm and Jubbal Rohuru,Mehre and Banjar 4 mm.

Shimla had 0.5 mm of rains while Palampur and Bhuntarexperienced 7.4 mm rains.

The sky remained heavily overcast and the local MeToffice has predicted rains, snow and thunderstorm at manyplaces during next 48 hours. PTI PCL