Cold wave grips North India: Himachal Pradesh witnesses heavy snowfall

Dharamshala : The north Indian hill town of Dharamshala and its surrounding areas continue to shiver under an intense cold wave, with the minimum temperature hovering between 0 and 1 degree Celsius last night.

The Dhauladhar mountains are blanketed in fresh snowfall, a challenging environment for residents.

Speaking to ANI, Tushar a resident said, "A couple of days ago, it rained heavily, and the cold has increased significantly. You can see the hills behind me are covered with snow. The cold is causing a lot of trouble, and people are unable to step out in the mornings and evenings. Everyone has to wear gloves, jackets, and multiple layers of clothing."

Another resident, Vicky, said, "The weather has been very bad for the past two days, and it has snowed here, which has made the cold much worse. It is quite cold now. In the mornings and evenings, it's difficult to come to this office."

He further added, "A couple of days ago, there was heavy rain, which added to the problems because of the weather; the cold has increased significantly."Roof of houses cover in snow as Gandoh receives fresh snowfall, in Doda on Sunday.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, an intense cold wave gripped after the recent rain and snow in various parts of Himachal Pradesh, with the minimum temperature reaching below 0 degrees Celsius in several parts of the region here.

Intermittent rainfall and dense fog have enveloped the Dhauladhar mountains, which have received fresh snowfall. Tourists in the region are eagerly awaiting snowfall in the town.

In areas like Naddi, Dharamkot, Bhagsunag, and McLeodganj, the minimum temperature has dropped to zero to one degree Celsius, while the daytime temperature hovers around four to five degrees Celsius.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, "Fresh spells of cold waves, dense fog and ground frost are very likely to start over lower hills/plains of the state from the morning of December 30."