Shimla : Shimla , Manali and other resort towns of Himachal Pradesh experienced a heavy snowfall early Wednesday without any warning by the weather office here .
Tourists in large numbers were seen playing in the snow in downtown Shimla which was under a thick blanket of snow.The hill station experienced a freezing night with the mercury falling to minus 1.6 C some four dgrees below normal and the maximum was 4.8 C .In Manali it was minus 1.2 C .
But the snowfall has paralysed life at most places . Traffic came to a standstill in the state capital Shimla .
Snow also fell in nearby Chail . It was heavy in the ski resorts of Kufri and Narkanda blocking the hindustan tibet road . The road leading up to Rohru was blocked at Kharapather .
Fresh snow on the ski slopes of Manali has excited skiers who have gathered here from all over the country for the alpine skiing premier league .
Snow has been heavy in the apple belt of Shimla with worries that the watery heavy snowfall will damage apple trees .
Stone fruit farmers are also worried that the snow and icy conditions could adversely affect flowering of stone fruits trees .
The sprawling tribal belt of Kinnaur , Lahaul , Spiti and Pangi experienced heavy snowfall cutting of the entire region from the rest of the country .
Power supply has been affected in many snowbound places , reports said .
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
