Snowflakes bring cheer to Shimla tourists

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 26

Higher reaches and mountain passes received another spell of moderate snow and key tourist destinations of Kufri and Chharabra had light snowfall while Shimla received snowflakes, bringing cheer to tourists.

A large number of tourists thronged Shimla and adjoining areas and danced in ecstasy as snowflakes dropped. However, they were deprived of the fascinating view of “the queen of hills” donning a white mantle as snowflakes melted away soon. Some enthusiastic tourists rushed to Kufri and Chharabra.

“It was amazing to see snow but our happiness was limited to a few minutes as it stopped,” said Ashish and Avantika, a couple from Delhi. Scattered light rain occurred at some places in mid and lower hills.

The sky remained heavily overcast and strong velocity icy winds swept the region. Tourists and locals were hopeful about more spells of snowfall. The Rohtang Pass and higher reaches in Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Mandi, Kinnaur and Shimla were receiving intermittent snow and rain, creating intense cold wave conditions in the adjoining valleys.

Apple growers are happy as snow is considered as white manure for the crop and low temperature provides adequate cooling period for good crop.

The maximum temperature plummeted and stayed three to nine degree below normal after rain and snow at some places and Keylong was the coldest during the day with a high of minus 0.8 degree while Kalpa and Dalhousie recorded maximum temperature at 3.2 degree and 4.1 degree, followed by Shimla 7.2 degree and Manali 8 degree C.

The minimum temperature also stayed below normal and Keylong was the coldest with minus 7.2 degree C followed by Kalpa minus 3.4 degree while Kufri, Manali, Dalhousie, Shimla and Dharamsala recorded a low of minus 1 degree, minus 0.2 degree, 2.4 degree, 3 degree and 7.2 degree C.

As many as 34 roads are closed due to snow, including 32 in Lahaul and Spiti and one each in Chamba and Kullu. The local MeT office has predicted rain or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills tomorrow and dry weather in the region on December 28 and 29.

Rain to aid of farmers

Dharamsala: Rain lashed the Kangra valley on Sunday. About 80% Kangra farmers are dependent on rain for irrigation. Kamal Kishore, a farmer, said, “Rain has come to our rescue. We had sown our fields in Nov. Had there been any delay, our crop would have gotten damaged,” TNS

100 tourists stranded in Mandi

• Over 100 tourists got stuck near the Prashar lake in Mandi on Sunday evening due to fresh snowfall
• SP Shalini Agnihotri said: “A police team has reached the spot to evacuate those stranded.”
• A long traffic jam was seen between the Solang valley and Manali amid continuous snowfall