Cold wave like condition grips Himachal as mercury plummets

Cold wave like conditions gripped most parts of Himachal as mercury plummeted across the state inspite of dry weather and hovered around freezing point in tribal areas and several other places, official sources said.
While Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district recorded minimum temperature at minus 3.9 degree Celsius.
Manali shivered at 0.6 degree Celsius, while Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district and Una in Shivalik foothills recorded a low of 3 degree and 3.3 degree Celsius, four to five degrees below normal.
Bhuntar recorded a minimum temperature at 4 degree Celsius, followed by Solan 5 degree, Shimla 6.4 degree, Sundernagar 6. 9 degree, Palampur 7.5 degree, Dharamsala 10.2 degree and Nahan 12.7 degree Celsius.

The natural sources of water like lakes, springs, rivulets and tributaries of snowfed Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers have started freezing, reducing the discharge of water and affected hydro-power generation which has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent, they said.