2 die in avalanche in Himachal Pradesh

An avalanche triggered by a sudden rise in mercury in the higher hills of Himachal Pradesh killed two perssons near Dhundhi, 18km from Manali.

Two employees of Strabag-Afcons JV Company, engaged in construction of Rohtang tunnel project were buried alive in an avalanche when the vehicle in which they were travelling was hit by a huge mound of frozen snow.

The deceased were identified as driver Nihal Chand of Khoksar in Lahaul and Spiti and Babuli Das, a supervisor from Orissa.

Officials of the company launched a massive search operation and retrieved the bodies from under the heaps of snow. The bodies were handed over to family members after post-mortem.

Manali DSP Ashish Sharma said a case under 304(A) has been registered against the company.

The area where the avalanche had occurred was a "no-vehicle zone" from 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM.

Meanwhile day temperatures rose in the region with Una recording maximum temperature at 34.4 degree, followed by Mandi 30.8 degree, Sundernagar 30.0 degree, Nahan 29.4 degree, Bhuntar 29.0 degree, Dharamsala 27.2 degree and Solan 26.6 degree C.

Shimla recorded a high of 22.4 degree, six degrees above normal while Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district was warmer at 17.2 degree C.

The minimum temperatures remained steady with Nahan recording a low of 17.4 degree while Bhuntar, Solan and Sundernagar recorded minimum temperature at 6.5 degree, 7.2 degree and 7.5 degree respectively.