File photo: Boys walk down a snow-covered road after snowfall in Shimla. (Press trust of India)
Avalanche threat loomed large over high altitude tribal areas and higher hills of Chamba in Himachal following heavy snowfall during the past two weeks while severe cold wave conditions persisted in mid and higher hills.
The Himachal State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) has issued warning against avalanche threat on March 8 and asked people living in high altitude tribal areas and higher hills of Chamba not to venture out.
The Authority has directed the district administration to take all preventive and precautionary measures keeping in view the avalanches threat.
The state capital Shimla was lashed by strong winds accompanied by showers and thick fog engulfed the region, reducing visibility to a few meters.
The region on Saturday had a clear day in the morning but dark clouds overcast the sky by afternoon and strong winds swept the region, causing a sharp fall in day temperature.
The mercury stayed 15 to 22 degrees below freezing point in high altitude tribal areas while Keylong and Kalpa in tribal Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low of minus 9.5 degrees and minus 8.6 degrees followed by Manali minus 1.2 degree, Dalhousie 2 degrees, Bhuntar 3 degrees, Una 4 degrees, Shimla, Chamba, Hamirpur and Sundernagar 4.4 degrees each, Solan 5 degrees, Dharamshala 7.6 degrees, Nahan 11.8 degrees Celsius.
Solan received 4 mm of rains followed by Manali 1 mm while traces of rains were witnessed in state capital Shimla.
The maximum temperatures decreased by 2 to 3 degrees and Nahan was hottest during the day with a high of 23.5 degrees followed by Una 22.2 degrees, Solan 20.4 degrees, Kangra 19.1 degrees, Sundernagar 18.8 degrees, Bhuntar 16.6 degrees, Shimla 14.2 degrees, Manali 11.2 degrees and Kalpa 7.2 degrees Celsius.
The local MeT office has predicted thundershowers, rains and snow at many places during next 48 hours.