CHANDIGARH: Fresh snowfall across the higher reaches of Lahaul-Spiti has severely disrupted normal life as light to moderate rain and snowfall were observed in several areas of Himachal Pradesh.
Continuous rainfall was reported in the lower regions of Mandi and Kullu, which led to a sharp drop in both minimum and maximum temperatures.
An orange warning has been issued for hailstorms in four to five districts for April 7 and 8.
Restrictions have already been put on tourist movement and commercial activity in vulnerable zones surrounding the North Portal of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway in the Lahaul and Spiti district.
It is learnt that higher altitude areas in Lahaul-Spiti experienced fresh snowfall, impacting road connectivity.
Gondla received 13 cm of snowfall, followed by Hansa and Keylong with 7.5 cm each, and Koksar received 3 cm of snowfall. Mild snowfall was recorded at the Atal Tunnel on Friday night.
The strategically important Darcha-Shinku La-Padum road, which links Lahaul Valley in Himachal Pradesh to the Zanskar Valley in the Union Territory of Ladakh, has been blocked from the Lahaul side, disrupting the movement of vehicles and affecting essential supplies.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of Lahaul-Spiti stated that as many as 155 roads are still disrupted across the district due to snowfall and adverse weather conditions.
The restoration efforts are underway, and progress remains slow due to inclement weather.
The personnel of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have been deployed to clear snow and restore road connectivity.
The residents and tourists have been advised to take precautions while travelling in the region and stay updated with weather advisories. Heavy precipitation began late last evening, with intense rainfall recorded in Mandi and Kullu districts, and intermittent rain was recorded in various parts of the state.
Sarahan received 32.7 mm of rainfall, followed closely by Dharamshala with 32.2 mm, Kasauli with 23 mm, Manali with 17 mm, Bilaspur with 13.4 mm, Kalpa with 10.4 mm, Palampur with 8.6 mm, Sundernagar with 8.5 mm, and Shimla with 8 mm.
The sudden weather shift has caused temperatures to plummet drastically, forcing residents in lower areas to return to winter clothing after a brief spell of warmer weather.
The Lahaul and Spiti district administration has imposed immediate restrictions on tourist movement and commercial activity in vulnerable zones surrounding the North Portal of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway in the Lahaul and Spiti district.
This comes in response to alarming reports from engineering and police authorities highlighting the increasing frequency of avalanches, snow slides and falling debris in the region, hazards that have already claimed lives.
The affected stretch includes the hill slopes on the left side of the tunnel’s North Portal, the adjoining vicinity around the portal, and the Chandra Bridge river, along with its surrounding areas.
The Shimla Meteorological Office today issued an orange warning for hailstorms in four to five districts on April 7 and 8.
The Met Office has issued an orange alert for hailstorms, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with speeds of 40 to 50 km/h in the Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect Northwest India starting Wednesday. It also predicted a wet spell in the state till April 10. As thunderstorms and lightning lashed Shimla, Sundernagar, Bhuntar, Jot and Kangra, while gusty winds with speeds ranging between 39 and 59 kmph swept Seobagh, Sundernagar, Tabo and Neri.
The minimum and maximum temperatures saw a drop of 2-5 degrees and 2-8 degrees Celsius, respectively, at many stations. Tabo, with a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius, was the coldest at night.
During the pre-monsoon season from March 1 to April 4, Himachal Pradesh received 105.5 mm of rain, compared to the normal rainfall of 120.5 mm, resulting in a 12 per cent deficit.