Thunderstorm, rain lash Himachal; 57 roads blocked

Tribune News Service

Shimla, February 27

A severe thunderstorm accompanied by intermittent rain lashed several parts of Himachal, including Shimla and its surrounding areas, disrupting normal life and leading to a drop in day temperatures.

High-altitude tribal areas received another spell of snowfall and Gondla and Keylong received 10 cm and 6 cm of snow, respectively. Widespread moderate rain occurred at many places and Dalhousie was the wettest in the region with 15 mm of rain, followed by Manali 12 mm; Shimla, Kotkhai, Solan, Rajgarh and Kharapathhar 7 mm; Chamba, Bhuntar, Nahan and Shillaro 6 mm; Rohru, Saloni, Dharamsala and Jubbarhatti 4 mm; and Jubbarhatti, Kasauli, Narkanda, Kandaghat and Khadrala 3 mm.

Meanwhile, the Rohtang Pass has been closed for traffic and 57 roads, including 54 in Lahaul and Spiti district, are blocked in the state due to bad weather, sources in the Public Works Department said.

The day temperatures dropped by a few notches in mid and higher hills but stayed four to seven degrees above normal. Una with a high of 33°C was the hottest in the state. The minimum temperatures also dropped by two to three degrees and Keylong was the coldest in the region with a low of minus 1.5°C, followed by Kalpa 3°C and Kufri 4.5°C.

The MeT office has forecast a dry weather in mid and lower hills over the next six days and rain or snowfall in higher hills on March 3 as a Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation over Pakistan and neighbourhood now lies over north Pakistan and neighbourhood. A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region from the night of March 2.