Severe cold wave conditions continue in Himachal Pradesh

Biting cold wave conditions continued unabated in Himachal Pradesh as the mercury hovered around freezing point at most places while as high altitude tribal areas reeled under arctic conditions with minimum temperatures settling between minus 18 to minus 26 degrees Celsius.
Mercury stayed below normal at most places despite the dry weather. While Keylong, Kalpa and Manali recorded a low of minus 14.8 degrees Celsius, minus 7.8 degrees Celsius and minus 7.0 degrees Celsius respectively, Shimla, Solan, Sundernagar and Bhuntar shivered at minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, minus 1.1 degrees Celsius and minus 1.0 degrees Celsius respectively.

Water pipes froze and burst at many places in mid and higher hills, disrupting water supply, while thick ground frost occurred at many places in higher hills, making driving hazardous and hampered vehicular traffic.
The local MeT office has warned of heavy rains or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills on January 15 and 16 as another western disturbance is very likely to affect western Himalayan region from January 14 and adjoining plains from January 15 onwards.
The upper areas of Shimla, Sirmaur and Kullu districts and tribal areas of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spitui and Pangi and Bharmaur remained cut off from rest of the state for the eighth day despite claims by the government to have opened 529 roads out of 607 roads, blocked due to the heavy snowfall, for vehicular traffic and restored 574 out of 728 damaged water supply and irrigation schemes.

Meanwhile, electricity was restored in most of the areas in Shimla, while water supply was yet to be normalised and several localities in the town did not get water for the seventh day today.
All national highways except Luhri-Aut via Jalodi pass have been opened and Public Works Department had deployed more than 12,000 labourers besides sufficient heavy machinery for the restoration of the road network, an official spokesman said.
The local MeT office has predicted rains or snow at isolated places in mid and higher hills tomorrow and rains or snow at many places in the region from January 15 to January 18.