Fresh snowfall in HP; Kufri, Manali shiver at sub-zero temperatures

Sub-zero temperatures were recorded at major tourist destinations like Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie following a fresh bout of snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, while light rains were reported from some areas on Tuesday.

Keylong was the coldest recorded place in the state with a minimum temperature of minus 10.2 degrees Celsius, the Shimla MeT Department said.

Two famous tourist spots of Dhauladhar mountain range --Triund and Bir-Billing -- have once again been covered with a very thick ice sheet.

Kothi received 20 cm of snowfall, Khadrala 15 cm, Sarahan 13 cm, Manali 10 cm, Kufri and Kumarsen 5 cm each, Bharmour and Kalpa 4 cm each and Theog 3 cm, the MeT centre's director Manmohan Singh said.

Kalpa recorded a low of minus 7.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Kufri (minus 3.4 degrees Celsius), Dalhousie (minus 2.3 degrees Celsius) and Manali (minus 1.6 degrees Celsius).

The minimum temperature in state capital Shimla was zero degrees Celsius, Singh said.

Maximum temperatures decreased by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius during the last 24 hours. The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 21 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature in Kalpa was minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, Keylong minus 2.6 degrees Celsius and Dalhousie minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, he added.

A truck skidded near Chharabra and blocked the road where a pregnant woman, who was on her way to Kamla Nehru Hospital in Shimla, was stranded.

After receiving the information, police party reached the spot, removed the truck and took the woman to the hospital.

Around 12 people, who were stuck on Dhalli- Kufri stretch, were taken to safer places, police said.

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap said all roads in the district have been restored for traffic barring snow-bound Dodra Kwar subdivision, where snow clearing operations were going on a war-footing.

He said work is going on to restore traffic on link roads and adequate manpower has been deployed.

Traffic was plying normally on Shimla-Rampur and Rohru-Khadapathar roads, he added.