Himachal Pradesh Snowfall : Over 1,200 roads closed, life disrupted in Manali, Shimla and Lahaul-Spiti

Shimla: Heavy snowfall accompanied by rain in Himachal Pradesh in the last few days disrupted normal life in the hill state. Closing more than 1,250 roads, normal life came to a grinding halt as many passes and link roads continue to remain snowed under.

Snow clearance work is underway with snow blowers, JCBs and battalions of labourers being pressed into service to clear major roads. Officers and officials continue to brave cold and uncertain weather conditions to restore normalcy at the earliest.

Snow, Traffic Jams and Cancelled Plans at Tourist Places

Tourists did not leave hills amidst snowfall warning and continued to head towards Manali, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti to enjoy snowfall in the hills but came across traffic jams, tourists stranded on highways and struggling to access basic services at many places.

Long traffic jams were witnessed on several roads in Manali with tourists’ vehicles stranded for several hours. Tourists have been advised not to venture out due to inclement weather.

Snowfall Causes Power, Water Outages in Parts of HP

Residents in several districts complained of power and water supply failure as heavy snowstorm caused roads to be blocked and transformers and electricity poles damaged.

Heavy snowfall in parts of Himachal Pradesh yesterday caused extensive water and power supply issues. Power teams and PWD along with disaster response force are ensuring power is restored at the earliest and villagers do not face difficulties in freezing weather conditions.

Also Read: Fresh snowfall, below normal temperatures and light rain: Check latest weather update from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and South India

Patrol continuing in vulnerable areas: Incessant snowfall in past few days in many areas of higher reaches has cut off many villages and affected communication systems. Emergency response teams have been sent out in these areas and patrolling continues.

Helpline numbers and contacts for snow clearance have also been activated.

Snow Stopspages, Meetings Held by Govt

Snowfall has led to many roads closures and tourism disruptions. State government officials also held meetings to deal with heavy snowfall in the state and stationed additional equipment along routes. Officers are meeting with district officials to find solutions to clear roads and help tourists stranded in Himachal Pradesh. An official weather update said more snowfall is expected in the next couple of days. Residents have been asked to stay indoors and stay tuned for weather updates.

Snowfall is ‘delight’ for some tourists, ‘nuisance’ for others

Tourists in parts of Himachal Pradesh were seen expressing their happiness at snowfall, saying they came to enjoy the snowfall and celebrated. However, many were also disappointed as their travel plans got cancelled and faced difficulties traveling on snow-covered roads and moving around with few services available.

Officials have cautioned that snow drives down temperature in the mountains and people need to be careful while driving on roads.

Also Read: Weather forecast January 21: Snowfall expected in Himachal and J&K, rain in Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan

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