Spiti experiences an extended winter, thanks to unexpected snowfall in April

Shimla: At a time when 145 people have died in just two states -- Odisha and Telengana -- because of severe heat wave conditions, the picture is diametrically opposite in some parts of Himachal Pradesh. The hill state is experiencing an extended winter, thanks to unexpected snowfall in April.
It has also left residents a bit surprised as many parts of the state, including tribal Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts, recorded very less snowfall this winter.Although the upper reaches of the state do receive a couple of inches of snow in April, this time it is up to a foot in some places.
Moreover, the state has seen snowstorms too in the past few days. On Monday, around 500 people travelling in vehicles from Lahaul to Manali were stuck at Rahni Nalla in Rohtang Pass area after a snow slide blocked the road at 11pm.
A team of Border Roads Organization (BRO) worked overnight in the storm to clear the snow and resumed traffic at around 4am on Tuesday.

A BRO official said that with snowfall as late as second week of April, it has become a test for them to keep the road open. He said 13 vehicles stranded at Rohtang top were able to make it to Manali in the early hours on Tuesday.
Interestingly, residents of Lahaul-Spiti district had witnessed an almost a dry winter this time. Chhering Dorje, a 42-year-old resident of Kaza town of Lahaul-Spiti, said seeing no snowfall till February this year, people from upper Spiti valley have been praying at the famous Ki-Gompa and other monasteries wishing for chill to have good crops.
And when it came, Spiti valley witnessed the heaviest snowfalls of last many years in April. Areas like Losar, Hal, Kyato, Kyamo, Pangmo and Hansa received around a foot of snow while Kaza town recorded around half feet of snow on Monday.
"In Spiti, I have not seen so much of snow in April in the last seven to eight years. This is quite unusual as people waited for it the entire winter and it came when it was least expected. Intense cold conditions have gripped the entire Spiti valley," said Subodh Kumar, a resident of Lari village in Spiti.
Dinesh Kumar, a resident of Goshal village in Lahaul valley, said due to low snowfall, BRO opened the Rohtang pass at a record time on April 6, but now the extended snowfall has posed a challenge to those crossing the mountain pass due to sudden snowfall.
A resident of Gondhal village of Lahaul valley, Amrit was among those stranded at Rohtang Pass area at Rohni Nalla. He said people remained inside their vehicles and could not come out due to the high velocity winds besides the heavy snow.
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