The Hindu : National : First snowfall of the season in Shimla

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Friday, Dec 23, 2005

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National

First snowfall of the season in Shimla

Staff Correspondent

SHIMLA: With the heat for the three-phase panchayat elections over on Thursday, the weather gods blessed the hill town with a mild snowfall and rain in the evening. The locals as well as tourists rejoiced when the first snowflakes started pouring in on the famous Ridge and Mall Road here.

A number of tourists leaving Shimla were seen coming back to the main town. The snowfall continued for a very brief period and was followed by a placid rainfall.

But the higher reaches in the State especially the tribal districts of Kinnaur and Lahul-Spiti had a good spell of snow. The cold wave has intensified and there has been a sharp drop in the day temperature. It went down to minus 10 degrees Celsius in certain places.

A number of natural lakes in the tribal districts have frozen according to the reports reaching here. The supply of water to various projects has decreased considerably.

Cold toll up in U.P.

According to a UNI report from Lucknow, three more deaths were reported in Uttar Pradesh in the last 24 hours taking the cold wave toll to 53. While two casualties were reported from Mirzapur district, Jaunpur accounted for one death, according to the police.

Several places in the State experienced cloudy sky, moving the mercury down during the day time. However, since the clouds act as atmospheric blanket, the night temperatures are expected to rise. ``Light thundershowers are likely at some places in the next 48 hours,'' Meteorological Director K P Kulshreshta said here.

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