Mercury further plunged after fresh spell of snowfall in the state, moreover, it was mainly dry but partly cloudy today. Recent heavy snowfall and subsequent cold wave is still keeping life out of gear in some parts of the state.
Minimum temperature of Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul & Spiti was minus 12 degrees today. The tribal town had about half feet snowfall in last two days which had snapped rest of the road links within the district. Keylong-Udaipur and other local roads were reported snowbound so far.
District administration was evacuating snowbound people as four sorties of chopper has been arranged to Barring Rawa, Sisoo, Tandi and Stingri helipads today. Kalpa, regional headquarters of Kinnaur was minus 4 degrees and experienced 1 cm fresh snowfall.
Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur J.M. Pathania said that National highway was open to vehicular traffic up to Sangal but it was snowbound between Raksham and Chitkul. The district administration was pressing the snow cutter to clear the road on war footing.
Local link roads to Asrang and Morang areas of this tribal district had cleared upto Lipa and Naisung, respectively but snowbound beyond. Snow clearing operation got momentum today as it was mainly dry and sunshine in district headquarters today.
Shimla town and nearby areas were partly cloudy but due to thick layer of snowfall at Kufri, Narkanda, Kharapather vehicular traffic was disrupted but it was plying on NH-22 since last evening. Report arriving said that Chopal and Rohru is still snowbound as heavy layer of snow is still on the road.
Most of the link roads were cleared by MC personals in this capital town within 12 hours of snowfall.
Tourist resort Manali has drawn large number of tourists due to recent snowfall and temperature recorded was minus 3 degrees today. Sundernagar in Mandi district and Chamba were at 2 degrees each.
Solan and Hamirpur 3 degrees, Shimla, Palampur, Dalhousie and Kangra 4 degrees each, Bilaspur, Dharamshala, Nahan and Una 5 degrees each. The Met. office forecast mainly dry weather in next 24 hours.