Cold wave returns with snowfall and sporadic rains

Shimla, Jan 09 (ANI): The shrill cold wave induced by fresh snowfall and sporadic rain made a comeback to Himachal Pradesh after a brief respite on Saturday, causing the mercury to dip. People in hill town of Dharamsala stepped out covered in layers of woolens as a shield against the cold, after a night long sporadic rainfall. Men sat around bonfires to keep themselves warm. The rain showers caused the mercury to hover around 6 degrees Celsius. A heavily overcast sky kept the sun away and icy winds made it difficult for people to go about their daily routine. A resident, Ram Prakash, said the sudden fall in temperature took residents by surprise. Himachal Pradesh’s capital city Shimla too reeled under cold wave conditions after the city received mild snowfall and temperatures plummeted to sub-zero level. People struggled to step out of their houses and get to work. A resident, Krishna, said it was particularly cold in the mornings and evenings. Roads covered with sleet disrupted traffic movement in city as they became slippery. Every year as the cold wave tightens its grip, the homeless are the worst hit as they often either sleeps in open or under thin tarpaulin sheets.