A 34-year-old earth mover operator was killed when the vehicle overturned while removing snow in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, police said Monday. Lal Chand died on the spot after the earth mover toppled near Bran village in Manikaran valley on Sunday evening, Kullu SP Gaurav Singh said. With this, the death toll of snow-related mishaps has risen to four in the state since widespread snowfall last Wednesday. Earlier, three persons had died in Shimla district. Besides, two elderly persons - Mahipal and Kanchowk - died after slipping on snow-covered roads in various parts of Shimla city on Sunday and Friday, respectively. Also, a number of people have suffered injuries after falling on slippery roads since Wednesday and have been treated at IGMC and Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospitals. Meanwhile, most parts of the state received moderate to heavy precipitation Monday under the influence of a western disturbance, leading to a drop in maximum temperatures and disrupting roads and power in several areas. According to meteorological officials, Kalpa in Kinnaur district received 18 cm of snow while Jawali in Kangra received 28 mm rainfall. Manali recorded 26 mm rain. Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti received around 18 inches of snow from Sunday morning till Monday morning, the officials said. Higher reaches of Shimla, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kullu, Mandi and Kangra also received snowfall. The weather is expected to remain clear at most places on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thereafter, a fresh western disturbance is likely to hit the area, including the western himalayan region and the adjoining plains of northwestern India. The meterological centre in Shimla has forecast rain or snow at many places from January 16 to 18 in the middle and high hills, and thundershowers or rain at a few places in the lower hills. The wet spell is expected to decline thereafter, said officials. Meanwhile, PWD officials said that 359 roads in the state continue to remain blocked due to snow or adverse weather, including three national highways. Most of the closed roads lie in the Shimla zone, including 129 in the Rampur circle, 75 in the Rohru circle, and 24 in the Shimla circle. 30 roads are closed in the Dalhousie circle in Kangra PWD zone. 111 of these roads are expected to open after Tuesday, said officials, adding that 332 machines have been deployed in the road and snow-clearing operations. Following rain, the maximum temperature in Shimla dropped to 11 degree Celcius, while Dharamshala and Manali recorded maximum temperatures of 8.6 and 5.0 degrees respectively. With PTI
