Snowfall continues in higher reaches of Himachal, Manali-Leh road blocked

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Cold wave conditions continued in the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh after fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Mandi districts and several parts of Lahaul-Spiti district, the local Met office said on Wednesday.

The Manali-Leh road was blocked due to snowfall and vehicles going towards Ladakh were stopped at Darcha, officials said. In Lahaul-Spiti, Gondhla received 30 cm of snow followed by Keylong (15 cm), Hansa (5 cm) and Kukumseri (3.2 cm).

Moderate to very heavy rain lashed the low and middle hills of the state, with Naina Devi receiving 132.6 mm of rain since Tuesday evening, followed by Solan (119.6 mm), Berthin (78.6 mm), Pachhad (78.2 mm), Malraon (75.4 mm), Kasauli (68 mm), Bharmani (67.2 mm), Bilaspur (64.8 mm), Kahu (64.1 mm), Dharampur (62.4 mm), and Ghaghas (55 mm), the local weather office said.

Thunderstorms were witnessed in Murari Devi, Kangra, Palampur, Sundernagar, Jubbarhatti and Shimla, while gusty winds swept Narkanda, Kufri, Neri and Tabo.

The Met department has forecast light rain at isolated places in the low and middle hills, and light rain and snow in the higher hills on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by dry weather.

The minimum temperatures stayed below normal at most places, with Kukumseri in Lahaul-Spiti recording a lowest temperature at minus 2.5 degrees Celsius.

Himachal Pradesh received 44.2 mm of rain against a normal of 6.1 mm, an excess of 625 per cent, in the post-monsoon season from October 1 to 7.