Himachal Pradesh Paralyzed by Heavy Snowfall and Rainfall
The picturesque state of Himachal Pradesh has been brought to a standstill following intense snowfall in its mid and high hills, coupled with heavy rainfall in the lower regions. The severe weather conditions, which began on Tuesday morning and continued overnight, have resulted in massive disruptions across the state.
Transportation Network Severely Impacted
According to the latest reports, a staggering 885 roads remain blocked throughout Himachal Pradesh as of Wednesday. This includes four national highways, severely hampering connectivity. The district of Lahaul Spiti is the worst affected, with 290 roads closed, followed by Shimla with 176, and Mandi with 128. Other districts like Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, Kangra, and Una have also reported significant road closures.
Key routes have been particularly hard hit. The highway connecting Manali was blocked between 15 Mile and the main town, while the road leading to the Atal Tunnel also remained shut. Authorities have initiated road clearance operations in and around Manali, with efforts underway to reopen major arteries in the coming days.
Record Snowfall Measurements Across Districts
The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has recorded substantial snowfall across various high-altitude areas. In Kullu district, Kothi received 75 cm of snow, while Manali saw 28 cm. Shimla district reported significant accumulations as well, with Khadrala recording 40.6 cm, Shilaroo 17.7 cm, Sarahan 12.7 cm, and the popular tourist spot Kufri receiving 11 cm.
Lahaul Spiti witnessed heavy snowfall, with Gondhla recording 36 cm, Koksar 31.1 cm, Kukumseri 28.3 cm, and Keylong 15 cm. In Kinnaur district, Kalpa received 17.7 cm, Pooh 16 cm, and Moorang 12 cm. Remote tribal belts such as Bharmour and Pangi were also buried under snow, completely cutting them off from the rest of the state.
Widespread Power and Water Supply Disruptions
The severe weather has caused extensive damage to the state's infrastructure. Large parts of Himachal Pradesh are experiencing power outages, with 3,237 Distribution Transformer Regions (DTRs) rendered non-functional. Shimla district is the most affected, with 1,082 DTRs down, followed by Kullu with 1,024. Mandi, Chamba, Lahaul Spiti, Kinnaur, Sirmaur, and Solan districts have also reported significant power disruptions.
Water supply has been compromised as well, with 121 water supply schemes affected. Shimla district accounts for 91 of these disruptions, while Chamba has 23 affected schemes.
Heavy Rainfall Adds to the Woes
While the upper reaches were blanketed in snow, the low and mid hills of Himachal Pradesh experienced moderate to heavy rainfall from Tuesday morning until late night. The state recorded an average of 34.6 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, which is a staggering 636% more than the normal rainfall of 4.7 mm for this period.
Kullu district recorded the highest rainfall at 54.2 mm, followed by Chamba with 46.6 mm, Mandi with 40.3 mm, and Solan with 39.9 mm. Other districts like Kangra, Hamirpur, Lahaul Spiti, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Una, Shimla, and Kinnaur also received substantial rainfall.
Educational Institutions Closed and Temperature Plummets
In response to the adverse conditions, all educational institutions in Kullu district remained closed on Wednesday. The district administration has further announced that all schools and colleges in the Manali sub-division will remain closed on Thursday as well.
Kukumseri in Lahaul Spiti emerged as the coldest place in the state, recording a minimum temperature of -6.1°C.
A Silver Lining for Farmers
Despite the widespread disruption, the heavy snowfall and rainfall have brought some relief to the agricultural community. Two spells of precipitation within three days have ended a prolonged dry spell that had lasted for over three months, bringing cheers to anxious farmers across the state.
Overall, between January 1 and 28, Himachal Pradesh has recorded 97.4 mm of rainfall, which is 29% more than the normal 75.5 mm for this period, indicating a significant shift in weather patterns.
