Snowfall ends Himachal's dry spell

Shimla, Feb 11 Having been without a snowfall for most part this winter, people in Himachal Pradesh were in for a surprise Sunday as snowfall covered many areas of the state, including this capital, in a white blanket.

The higher parts of Shimla were covered with six inches of snow while the lower areas received around two inches.

Normal life was paralysed as vehicles could not move to the higher parts of the town. There was frequent power failure.

The Hindustan Tibet road beyond Shimla has been blocked by snow since Saturday as the twin resorts of Kufri and Narkanda had some 20 inches of snowfall.

Manali and the overlooking 13,050-foot high Rohtang pass have been having continuous snowfall since Saturday. While there was heavy snow in the Dhauladhar ranges, Dharamsala saw spells of rain. Dalhousie in Chamba too received snowfall.

The mid hills had been under a dry spell since early December when there was light snowfall. This had caused concern among farmers and in the tourism industry.

Sunday's snowfall is seen as crucial for the state's apple orchards, which were in dire need of moisture.

The high mountains and valleys of Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Bharmaur and Dodra Kwar received yet another spell of snowfall Sunday, leading to a further drop in temperatures in the tribal belt.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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