More snowfall, rain in Himachal

SHIMLA - Snowfall in the higher reaches and intermittent rain in low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh continued for the fourth day Wednesday, intensifying a cold wave.

Incessant rain across the state partially hampered the air traffic. “Flights from Delhi to Shimla and Dharamsala were as per schedule but could not be operational at Kullu on the second day,” an airport official said here.

“High-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Shimla districts again experienced moderate to heavy snow during the past 24 hours,” a met department official said.

Keylong, the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti, experienced about 26 cm of snow, while it was 4.9 cm in Kalpa in Kinnaur district.

The picturesque tourist resort of Manali has been experiencing snowfall since Sunday. However, snowfall has so far continued to elude the state capital which was lashed by rains.

Shimlas nearby hills like Narkanda, where the four-day National Winter Games for the intellectually disabled began Wednesday, have experienced good snow, the weatherman said.

Games organisers said the Narkanda ski slopes have more than one foot of snow and events like snow shoeing, snow boarding and alpine skiing would be organised. Over 200 people from eight states are taking part in the games.

Shimla recorded a low of 2.4 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 4.1 degrees in Keylong, minus 2 degrees in Kalpa, 5 degrees in Bhuntar and 2.1 degrees in Dharamsala.

The weather office said some places in Kangra, Kullu, Chamba and Lahaul and Spiti districts would experience heavy snow till early Thursday.