Shimla, Jan 8: Heavy rains lashed lower Himachal Pradesh including Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, Kangra and Solan districts on Saturday, paralyzing normal life. Some tourist hubs also received snow.
The rains started in Hamirpur district before dawn and quickly enveloped a sprawling region.
People wrapped themselves in heavy woolens to keep off the icy cool winds emitting from Dhauladhar hills of the Himalayas, plunging the temperature.
There was less movement of people on the roads partly because it is a holiday for schools and colleges. Markets opened late in many places.
The water level in the river Beas and its tributaries had risen and people were warned not to go near the river and rivulets.
The tourist resorts of Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda received snowfall while Shimla and nearby areas witnessed icy cold and intermittent rains.
According to police sources, vehicular traffic was disrupted at Kufri and Fagu as the roads were covered with 5-10 cm of snow.
The Met office recorded 14.6 cm snow in Shimla, 7.5 cm in Kufri and 5 cm in Narkanda.
Lahaul-Spiti district’s Sissu also got plenty of snow. The depth of snow towards the South Portal (toward Manali) is about 10 cm (4 inches).
Kinnuar district’s higher reaches experienced heavy snowfall since overnight.
The government has deployed snow cutters and emergency vehicles and closed several roads and highways due to snowfall .
It is the third consecutive major spell of snow and rain in the state in the first week of January.
The Met office forecast widespread rains or snowfall in many places in the state.
