About 150 roads closed in Himachal due to recent snowfall

Shimla: About 150 roads, including three national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh due to recent snowfall, according to the state emergency operation centre here.

Higher reaches and tribal areas in Lahaul and Spiti received another spell of mild snowfall while intermittent light rains lashed parts of Kangra, Shimla, Chamba and Kullu districts, the meteorological (MeT) department said.

Khoksar received 3.4 cm of snow followed by Kukumseri and Keylong which received 1.7 cm and 1 cm of snowfall, respectively.

A maximum of 130 roads were blocked for vehicular traffic in Lahaul and Spiti, nine in Chamba, five in Kullu, two each in Kangra and Shimla and 200 transformers and eight water supply schemes were disrupted, the emergency centre said.

According to the weather department, Bharmaur in Chamba was recorded to have received 12.3 mm of rain, making it the wettest region, followed by, Salooni which received 8.4 mm of rain, Banjar 3 mm, Pandoh 1.5 mm, Palampur 1 mm and Bhuntar and Shimla 0.5 mm each.

There was no significant change in the minimum temperatures and Keylong with minus 6.5 degrees was recorded to be the coldest region at night.

Kukumseri and Keylong shivered at minus 3.9 degrees and minus 1 degree Celsius while the key tourist destinations of Narkanda, Dalhousie Kufri, Shimla and Manali recorded a low of 0.3 degrees, 2.9 degrees, 3.1 degrees, 4.4 degree and 5 degrees Celsius.

The local MeT office has predicted light snow and rain in isolated places in mid and high hills on Monday and Thursday and predicted a wet spell till February 11.