It's April and snowing in Himachal; 4 dead

SHIMLA: It's April and large parts of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday witnessed cold conditions, with the minimum temperature staying close to the freezing point owing to widespread snowfall and rainfall, weather officials said.

Four persons have died due to weather-related incidents.

A government spokesperson said traffic on the National Highway No. 5 (NH-5), linking Shimla with Sumdoh bordering Indo-tibetan border, has been disrupted at several points in Kinnaur district owing to landslides triggered by the rain and snow.

Chief Secretary V.C. Pharka held a state-level disaster management meeting to take stock of losses due to heavy rains and hailstorm in mid hills and snowfall in higher reaches in the past two days.

An official statement said four persons died due to weather-related incidents in the state in the past two days.

Two people were killed and eight injured when a lightning hit them at Khadaan village in Rampur subdivision of Shimla district on Wednesday, while one person and 15 head of cattle were killed in a lightning stike at Dharjot village in Baijnath subdivision of Kangra district.

The fourth death was of a man who was reported to have accidentally fallen in Sundernagar subdivision of Mandi district.

According to a Meteorological Department official here, hills overlooking Manali experienced moderate spells of snowfall – significant for the season. The condition will continue till Friday.