Himachal: Snowfall disrupts normal life in tribal areas; 4 NH among 134 roads closed

Normal life was disrupted and 134 roads, including four national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh as the tribal areas and other high reaches received the first major snowfall of the year.

Intermittent snowfall has continued since Tuesday night and more snow is likely as the local MeT office has issued an orange warning of heavy snow and rains at isolated places on January 31 and February 1.

The snowfall and heavy snowfall forecast has brought cheers to the farmers and the fruit and vegetable growers, who suffered huge crop losses due to dry spell.

The tourism and allied industries stakeholders are also exuberant as the long awaited snowfall is likely to give a boost to tourist arrival.

Manali and Shimla had suffered due to the monsoon disaster and the room occupancy on the New Year was about 60 per cent, the lowest in four decades.

The key tourist resorts of Manali, Dalhousie, Sangla, Narkanda and Kufri experienced moderate snowfall while scattered rains occurred in mid and low hills breaking the prolonged dry spell.

A maximum of 120 roads are closed in Lahaul and Spiti district as per the state emergency operation centre and about 400 transformers have been disrupted in the state.

As per the MeT, three or four spells of heavy rains or snowfall are likely in Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla (including Shimla city and adjoining areas), Kinnaur, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi during this period.

The state witnessed driest January 2022 with about 99 per cent deficit rains and 83 per cent rain deficit in December 2023.

The snowfall is likely to cause disruption of essential services like water, electricity, communications and related services and reduce visibility, the forecast said.