By Vidhi Thacker
Over the past day, Himachal Pradesh has recorded extensive snowfall and rainfall, which has closed 200 roads and disrupted other essential services like power and water. Numerous districts of Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and Chamba have been cut off.
Heavy snowfall continues in the district of Shimla, which has led all the roads leading to the valley to be shut off. Educational Institutions have been closed for the day in districts like Lahaul, Spiti and Chamba.
The rainfall is likely to continue at the same level throughout the day. An orange alert has been issued for light to moderate snowfall in many places and remote spells of very heavy snowfall in the districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti. Heavy snowfall is also expected in higher reaches of Chamba, Mandi, Shimla, Kangra, Sirmaur, and Kullu’s Manali.
There’s a yellow alert in Shimla as it received continual rainfall on Thursday night and might receive more rain and light snowfall in nearby areas. The National Highway 5 near Narkanda in Shimla district was closed off due to slippery conditions which were followed by heavy snowfall.
In Tosh village in the Manikaran Valley in Kullu district, there was a sense of panic as there was a flash flood threat due to an artificial lake formation in Jeera Nallah. People living downstream of the Nallah have been moved to safer places, said the officials.
There is a large avalanche threat because of the fresh snowfall in the state of Himachal Pradesh. An orange alert has been issued by the weather department in the districts of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kinnaur and other areas above 2,300 meters of altitude. The public is advised to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from high-altitude areas that are at risk of avalanches.