Glacier Meltdown and Snowfall Cause Disruption in Himachal
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Synopsis
Severe weather conditions, including glacier slides and heavy snowfall, have created chaos in Himachal Pradesh. Flash floods and landslides have blocked roads, particularly on the Chandigarh-Manali highway, while local authorities are working to restore services. Tourist areas are experiencing significant snowfall, with temperatures dropping below freezing.
Key Takeaways
- Glacier slides and heavy rainfall have disrupted life in Himachal Pradesh.
- Flash floods and landslides have blocked the Chandigarh-Manali highway.
- Significant snowfall recorded in popular tourist areas.
- Authorities are working to restore essential services.
- Travel advisories have been issued for affected regions.
Shimla, Feb 28 (NationPress) Glacier slides, torrential rains, and snowfall have been causing significant disruption in Himachal Pradesh as of Friday, leading to flash floods and landslides that obstructed vehicular movement on the Chandigarh-Manali highway past Mandi town.
Numerous vehicles were swept away in the raging waters and trapped in the debris in Kullu town, where a substantial landslide occurred. The tourist destination Manali experienced snowfall, while the state capital Shimla faced heavy rains.
“Efforts are underway to retrieve vehicles that have been caught in the floodwaters,” a police representative stated, adding that “no reports of human casualties have been received.”
The local administration has issued a warning, urging residents in river and drainage areas to stay away, while working to restore electricity, communication, traffic, and drinking water services.
Famous tourist destinations near Shimla, such as Kufri and Narkanda, have received significant snowfall over the last two days. The Rohtang Pass (13,050 feet) and Baralacha Pass (16,020 ft) on the Manali-Leh highway have been blanketed in heavy snow.
The resort town of Kalpa recorded a minimum temperature of -3.2 degrees Celsius, while Dalhousie was at 0.4 degrees and Keylong in the Lahaul-Spiti district hit -5.9 degrees Celsius.
Due to the heavy snowfall, the Lahaul-Spiti administration has advised travelers to refrain from unnecessary trips. Several roads have been closed, including those leading to Darcha, Sarchu, Keylong, and Koksar, with efforts ongoing to clear them.
The local Meteorological Centre reported that Kalpa in Kinnaur district saw 46 cm of snow, while Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti received 70 cm. Kinnaur and the higher areas of Shimla district are isolated, as various link roads in Jubbal, Kotkhai, Kumarsain, Kharapathar, Rohru, and Chopal have been blocked by snow.
An official from the Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation indicated it would take at least a day to restore traffic to the upper Shimla regions. Most areas in the state, particularly Shimla, Solan, Kullu, Sirmaur, and Mandi districts, are experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall.
The Met department forecasts that a western disturbance—storm systems originating in the Caspian Sea and traversing the Afghanistan-Pakistan area—will be active on March 2.
