Rain, snow to hit Himachal

Shimla, Jan 8 (IANS) With the interiors of Himachal Pradesh still recovering from last week's heavy snowfall, the weatherman on Tuesday forecast more rain and snow in the state this week.

"Some areas are likely to experience snow and rain till Wednesday," a meteorological official told IANS.

He said chances of snow in the upper reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba districts are high.

After this spell, another western disturbance is likely to hit the region and adjoining plains on Thursday, bringing more rain and snow.

Meanwhile, Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest town in the state with a low of minus 10.8 degrees Celsius.

The minimum temperatures in Shimla and Manali were 2.2 degrees and minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Kalpa, some 250 km from Shimla, saw the night temperature at minus 6.8 degrees Celsius.

Snow could still be seen in certain areas of Shimla like the Mall Road, Ridge, US Club and Jakhu hills after snowfall on Sunday.

Areas near Shimla like Kufri and Narkanda and popular tourist resorts of Manali and Dalhousie are covered under a thick blanket of snow.

Officials said the entire Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi and Bharmour areas in Chamba were still cut off as roads were under a thick blanket of snow and efforts were being made to reopen them.

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap has appealed to the tourists to avoid travelling in their vehicles towards Kufri beyond Shimla as the road is slippery after snowfall.

"We are advising the motorists, especially the tourists, to park their vehicles at Dhalli and use public transport to reach Kufri and its nearby destinations," he told IANS.