Himachal Snowfall: 507 Roads Including Five National Highways Closed Due to Snowfall, 2563 Power Transformers Stalled
Snowfall In Pangi, Bharmour - Photo: Diary Times
Kumud Sharma, Diary Times, Shimla , March 03: Normal life has been completely disrupted due to heavy snowfall in the tribal and hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh, while in the plains, heavy rains along with thunderstorms and lightning have caused damage to crops and properties of villagers. Due to heavy snowfall and rain in the state, basic services like roads, electricity and water have come to a complete halt. According to the report of the Emergency Operation Center in the state, 507 roads including five National Highways are closed due to heavy snowfall in the entire Himachal Pradesh. Apart from this, there is power failure in many rural areas since Saturday due to the failure of 2563 transformers in different areas of the state. Besides, 72 drinking water schemes are also completely stalled in various areas.
Three houses have collapsed in Himachal Pradesh due to heavy rain and snowfall. One house each has collapsed in Lahaul-Spiti, Sirmour and Solan districts of the state. However, there was no loss of life during the collapse of the house. Due to heavy snowfall, a part of a large iceberg has fallen near Shakas drain in Lahaul-Spiti district. National Highway-3 has been completely blocked due to the falling of part of the iceberg. Vehicular movement on National Highway 3 has come to a complete halt. Lahaul-Spiti District Administration teams have started the work of removing the iceberg from National Highway 3, so that National Highway 3 can be restored as soon as possible.
It is fortunate that no vehicle has been hit by the iceberg on National Highway 3, otherwise a major accident could have occurred. Snowfall is still going on in Lahaul-Spiti and four to five feet snowfall in the higher areas of the entire district and two to three feet snowfall in the lower areas has been recorded by IMD Shimla. Due to blockage of most of the roads in Lahaul-Spiti district, traffic, drinking water supply, transformers and life has been completely disrupted.
A house has collapsed due to heavy snowfall in Salpat village of Udaipur subdivision of Lahaul-Spiti district. Apart from this, a house has been razed to the ground due to heavy rain and storm in Bakhalag of Arki sub-division of Solan district. A house has been damaged due to lightning in Boghadhar of Nauhradhar sub tehsil of Sirmour district.
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The State Emergency Operation Center, in its latest report released on Sunday morning, has said that in Lahaul-Spiti district, maximum 290 roads are closed due to snowfall. 75 roads in Kinnaur district, 72 roads in Chamba district, 35 roads in Shimla district, 18 roads in Kullu district and 16 roads in Mandi district have been blocked for traffic.
Apart from this, four national highways in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts and one national highway in Sirmour district have also been closed for traffic. 447 transformers are lying closed in Chamba district due to strong thunderstorm, heavy rain and snowfall in the state. Due to closure of transformers, there has been blackout in Chamba city, Dalhousie, Teesa, Pangi and Bharmour areas of Chamba district. 471 transformers have been shut down due to the storm in Sirmour district. Electricity supply in rural areas has been disrupted due to closure of 261 transformers in Paonta Sahib sub-division and 210 transformers in Nahan sub-division of Sirmour district. 404 transformers are lying stalled in Kinnaur district. There has been power failure in 192 Kalpa sub-divisions of Kinnaur district, 115 in Nichar and 97 in Pooh due to malfunction of transformers. 314 transformers are lying closed in Lahaul-Spiti district. 124 transformers are lying closed in Spiti division of Lahaul Spiti district, 111 in Lahaul and 79 in Udaipur. 292 transformers in Mandi district, 284 in Shimla district, 170 in Kullu district and 147 in Una district have been closed. 69 water schemes in Shimla district and 3 schemes in Lahaul-Spiti have come to a standstill.
Heavy snowfall recorded in these areas of the state –
According to the latest report of the Emergency Operation Center, snowfall continues in seven out of 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh. 12 inches in Pangi and one inch in Bharmour of Chamba district, two inches in Bir Billing and Multhan of Kangra district, four feet in Chitkul of Kinnaur district, two feet each in Sangla, Morang and Kalpa, five feet in Rohtang Top of Kullu district, four feet in Gulaba and Atal Tunnel, two feet in Kaza of Lahaul-Spiti district, 12-12 inches in Udaipur and Jhalma, 11-11 inches in Darcha and Keylong, two inches in Shikari Mata of Mandi district, Parashar Lake and Kamru. One inch snowfall has been recorded in Nag, 12 inches in Chanshal of Shimla district, six inches in Narkanda and seven inches in Khirki.
Due to increasing effect of cold wave, minimum temperature in five areas of the state was recorded in minus –
Due to heavy rains and snowfall in the state, the chill has increased in the entire Himachal Pradesh. During the last 24 hours, the average minimum temperature of the state has recorded a decline of 1.6 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in five areas of the state has been recorded in minus. Lahaul-Spiti district headquarters Keylong was the coldest area recorded with a temperature of -4.5 degrees Celsius, while Reckong Peo, Kukumseri and Narkanda recorded minimum temperatures of -1.2 degrees and Bharmour -0.5 degrees Celsius. Apart from this, Shimla recorded 4 degrees Celsius, Sundernagar 8.6 degrees Celsius, Bhuntar 5.8 degrees Celsius, Dharamshala 8.6 degrees Celsius, Una 10.5 degrees Celsius, Nahan 7.1 degrees Celsius, Palampur 6.7 degrees Celsius, Solan 8 degrees Celsius, Manali 1.9 degrees Celsius. 9.7 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Kangra, 7.8 degrees Celsius in Mandi.
According to the forecast of Meteorological Department, Shimla, the weather is going to remain bad in the state till March 7. During the inclement weather, red and yellow alerts of heavy snowfall in high mountain areas and heavy rain and thunderstorm in other areas have been issued by IMD. Apart from this, a yellow alert has been issued for heavy rain and snowfall in the state for the next four days.
According to the Meteorological Department, there is going to be a reduction in rain and snowfall in the state in the next four days. IMD Shimla has predicted completely clear weather in the state from March 8.
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