Shimla: The Vehicular traffic has been disrupted to tribal district Lahaul Spiti today following 45 and 60 cm snowfall on the Rohtang and Kunjum passes following inclement weather in the state.
The moderate to heavy snowfall is continuing on the high reaches of Himachal, thundershowers lashed downstream in the state today.
Increasing severe cold wave affected normal life.
The Gateway of Lahaul Spiti, 13050 ft. high Rohtang Pass experienced another spell of snowfall as about 45 cm (one and half feet) snow recorded so far disrupting the vehicular traffic between tourists
resort Manali and Keylong.
The Kunjum pass, links Lahaul and Spiti valley together also reported 60 cm(two feet) snowfall snapping apart the two valleys as it was continuing when this report was filed.
Tribal town Keylong received first snowfall of this season, a total of 8 cm snowfall was recorded by the Met office.
Koksar got about 18 cm snowfall.
The soldiers of border security forces were deployed on the high passes to open vehicular traffic by Nov 15.
Report arriving from Kinnuar district said that high reaches of district are also snowing since last night as light to moderate snowfall occurred in the tribal district. The low laying areas of district was yet to see the first snowfall of this season.
High reaches of Kangra and Chamba like Dhauladhar, Barlacha, Pangi and Tissa also recorded light snowfall.
This capital town and tourists resort Manali also had light rain showers along with severe cold wave.
Tourist resort Manali got highest 18 mm rainfall followed by Dalhousie in Chamba 10 mm, Tissa 8 mm, Bharmaur, Saloni and Udaipur in Lahaul Spiti 4 mm each and Chamba 3 mm.
Shimla had rain showers as it was cold and packed with black clouds in the day today. People had to take shelter in the shops and rain shelters as thundershowers and cold winds affected normal life today.
The minimum temperature of Keylong was recorded one degree Celsius today followed by Kalpa at 1.8 degrees, Tourist resort Dalhousie 4.8 degrees, Manali 5 degrees, Shimla 7 degrees, Solan 9 degrees, Palampur in Kangra and Nahan in Sirmour at 10 degrees each, Bhuntar in Kullu and Chamba 11 degrees each Sundernagar in Mandi, Hamirpur and Kangra 12 each, Una 13.8 degrees, Bilaspur and Dharamshala 14 degrees each.
The Met office forecast rain or snowfall at few places in next 24 hrs.
Met official said that Baralachha in Chamba district experienced snowfall, closing down the Keylong Leh highway for rest of season as it was officially closed for vehicular traffic by administeration in mid of October due to early snowfall on high reaches.
Report arriving from Keylong said that high reaches of Lahaul Spiti were snowing from last night as snowfall come down upto Mayard valley, Losar, Darcha and Samdo villages in the district.
He said that Lady of Keylong, Seven sisters` hill, Goshal hill, Koksar and high mountain passes were having frequent snowfall.
Snowfall has knocked the door of people in this valley 15 days earlier forcing them to stock piles of grainery for next six months for winter storage. More over district administeration was providing quota of PDS upto May report said.
The Keylong town also experienced light snowfall overnight but due to margionly rise in mercury it could not mounted on the road sofar. The mercury show rise of minimum temperature in the tribal village town by five degrees as it just 3 degree Celsius showing rise of 3.3 degree due to thick blanket of clouds. However Bharmour was coldest in the state with low at minus two degrees in Chamba district.
This capital town show sudden fall of mercury as it was seven degree lastnight, tourists resort Manali 6.8 degrees, Dalhousie 8 degrees, Kalpa 4. 4 degrees, Solan five degrees, Nahan in Sirmour, Hamirpur, Sundernagar in Mandi and Bhuntar in Kullu was at 10 degrees each, Una and Kangra 11 degrees, Bilaspur 12 degrees and Dharmshala 13 degrees respectively.
The state was witnessing sever cold wave owing to western disturbances, hovering of clouds and snowfall on high reaches. The Met office forecast that inclement weather would remain unchanged for next three days.
Mohan Verma is a seasoned journalist, with more than a decade of experience of active reporting for news agencies and fast paced online media.
