Nainital receives season's first snowfall amid fresh spells in Uttarakhand

Nainital received the first snowfall of the season on Friday while Mussoorie, Chakrata and other places located at a height of 2,000 metres and above in Uttarakhand received fresh spells of snow, leaving the highways to Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and over 60 rural roads blocked, officials said. Areas around Nainital like Kilbury and China Peak had received snowfall earlier this month but the tourist town itself wore a thin sheet of white on Friday after receiving the season's first snowfall.

On the downside, a total of 64 rural motorable roads in the state were blocked by snow, officials of the Disaster Management Office here said. The Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway was clogged with snow from Sukhitop to Gangotri, while the Rishikesh-Yamunotri highway got blocked from Raditop to Yamunotri, they added.

Badrinath, Gairsain and Joshimath also received snowfall, which blocked the highway to the Himalayan shrine, the officials said. Uttarkashi district was the worst hit where 24 roads were blocked due to snowfall, followed by the hill areas in Dehradun district where 18 roads were blocked, they added.

While a light snowfall continued in Harsil, Gangotri and Yamunotri, rain, accompanied by icy winds, swept the plains including the state capital, making it chillier, the officials said. Intermittent snowfall in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand also affected the power supply at a number of places, including Munsyari in Pithoragarh district, Harsil, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Gangnani in Uttarkashi district and Joshimath in Chamoli district, they added.