By: ML Verma
Shimla: With two more deaths due to icy cold wind sweeping the state,
Death toll due to heavy snow and extreme cold rose to 10 in Himachal Pradesh with two more casualties being reported on Thursday. While higher reaches of Chamba district reported fresh spell of snowfall, the day remained partly cloudy in rest of state.
Naroje Markay, a foreigners hailed from Italy reportedly died at Kullu in a local hospital. Police said he had tried to cross the snowy track from Kassol to Bhuntar a day earlier and fell ill. Police recovered another body of an ascetic (sadhu) from a rain-shelter near Kullu, who was also declared dead to cold.
According to Pangi resident commissioner Gopal Chand, rescue team could not reach Udanbhatoi village where three people were buried under an avalanche on Tuesday night. He said that rescue team could not reach the affected villages as 10 to 12 feet thick snow was hampering rescue operations. He said that bodies of the avalanche-hit victims were cremated at the village itself; however one serious among injured requires urgent medication.
Kinnuar MLA Tejwant Negi told HimVani over phone that the state administration succeeded in opening snow-bound Hindustan-Tibet road up to Recong-Peo today. He said that the district administration had already opened local Sangla road and Nichar road. He said that Hindustan-Tibet road is still blocked between Recong-Peo and Pooh. Traffic to Rohru was also opened via Kharapather for light vehicle. Reports received from Kullu said that traffic to Manali was being opened on the left bank of river Beas whereas traffic on the right bank Chandgarh-Manali National Highway-21 is still suspended.
In Lahaul-Spiti district life is still out of gear as electric supply could not resumed for the sixth day forcing more than 15,000 people to stay in the dark. Meanwhile, a helicopter conducted to sorties from Udaipur and Staingri and evacuated as many as 40 people form their. Keylong was coldest in the state with minimum temperature at minus 10.4 degree C while Kalpa recorded minus eight degree C. Solan recorded three degree C, Shimla 3.6 degree C, Bhuntar 3.7, Sunderngar 4.1 degree C, Una 5.3 degree C, Nahan 5.4 degree C, Dharamshala and Palampur 5.5 degree each. Met office forecast rain or snow in mid and upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, however weather is likely to remain dry in the plains and lower hills of the state in the next 24 hrs.
