Shimla, Oct 18 : Incessant rainfall and snowfall in the high reaches of the state disrupted normal life as the Hindustan-Tibet National Highway and local link roads were affected by flash floods at Khogpa Nallah near Moorang in Kinnuar district this afternoon.
Apart from this, as many as 170 people were stranded at Darcha and Batal in the Lahaul Spiti district after half to one feet of snowfall was recorded in the district.
Deputy commissioner Kinnaur Abid Husain Sadik said that the link road from NH-05 to Moorang has been blocked due to flash floods at Tehsil Moorang. No other kind of loss was reported.
State Emergency Operation Centre spokesman Mr Sudesh Mokta said that due to the Fresh snowfall one HRTC-Bus
and around 30 Vehicles (approximately 150 persons) are stranded at Sumdo in
Sub Division Spiti.
They are safe and their boarding and lodging facility
are being look after by Dogra Scouts, Samdo.
He said that earlier today after snowfall on the Gramphu Kaza road about 11 persons were stranded at Batal.
He said that this highway is blocked due to fresh snowfall and police and rescue teams
have moved towards the spot for the further assistance of the stranded persons. He said that vehicles have been stranded since
last night as the high passes are receiving snow fall.
The Met Office said that Koksar in Lahaul Spiti reported about 15 cms (half a feet) of snowfall today. Nine persons were stranded at Shinkula on Darchas-Shirunkla road in the district; the highway closed today due to fresh snowfall.
Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said that due to heavy snowfall in Lahaul Spiti, Darcha, Shinkula, Jaskar, Koksar to Losar and Losar to Chandratal, Kunzum Pass routes have been completely closed till further orders.
DC said that around two feet snow has been recorded on Baralacha top on Manali-Leh road and due to the inclement weather conditions people
should avoid plying on the highway till the weather clears.
He said that nine persons stranded at Darcha on Darcha-Shrinkula
highway have been evacuated after opening of the road. However 11 people
who are stranded at Batal on Gramphu-Kaza road are staying at Batal at
an eatery (Chacha-Chachi Dhaba).
DC said that 11 persons stranded at Batal are occupants of a Toyota Fortuner, they could not move ahead as they were out of fuel, they were not stranded due to the inclement weather conditions.
Maximum temperature diped in the state by five to six degrees as Keylong was recorded at five degrees today, Dalhousie 13.8 degrees
Kalpa seven degrees, Shimla 13.9 degrees, Bhuntar 15 degrees, Dharmshala 20.4 degrees, Sundernagar 20.6
degrees, Chamba 21.6 degrees, Hamirpur 21.9 degrees, Bilaspur 23.5degrees and Kangra 24 degrees.
Rainfall restricted movement of traffic on many roads due reduction of visibility due to foggy weather. There was a deserted look in the market places due to inclement weather and cold wave today.
