Shimla: Fresh snowfall and widespread rains lashed higher parts of Himachal Pradesh while at least 150 persons stranded at Rohtang Pass have been rescued by district administration.
Dozens of vehicles were stranded on either side of the Rohtang Pass between Glacier prone Rani Nallah and Koksar and all the stranded persons have been rescued, Rakesh Kanwar, Deputy Commissioner, Kullu said.
About 70 persons were rescued last evening and remaining 80 were picked up today, the DC said, adding that SDM Manali had rushed to the spot and started the rescue operations.
The region experienced widespread rains during the past 24 hours while tribal areas and high altitude mountain passes had moderate snowfall.
Keylong and Koksar recorded 12 cm of snow while Rohtang and other higher reaches in tribal belt had 50 cm to 70 cm of snowfall.
Manmohan Singh, Director, MeT office said that snowfall during May is not unusual and tribal areas received snowfall in May in 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2012 also.
Gohar received 25 mm of rains while, Pandoh and Khadrala had 22 mm rains, followed by Kalpa 21 mm, Manali 20 mm, Sainj 19 mm, Bajura 18 mm, Bijahi and Annu 17 mm, Karsog, Pooh 15 mm and Mandi 13 mm.
The minimum temperatures stayed below normal and Keylong was coldest with minimum temperature at 1.8 deg C while Kalpa and manali recorded a low of 4.6 degree Manali 7.0 deg C, Shimla and Chamba 12.0 deg C, Bhuntar 12.4 deg C, Palampur 14.5 deg C, Sundernagar 15.4 deg C, Dharamsala 16.2 deg C and Una 16.4 deg C.
Dharamshala recorded 27.8 deg C, Shimla 26.1 deg C and Kalpa 18.6 deg C.
The local MeT office has predicted rains/snow/thunderstorm at some places in mid and higher hills during next 48 hours.
