560 Roads Closed, Electricity Hit: Himachal Pradesh Faces Disruptions Amid First Snowfall Of The Year

Himachal Pradesh is once again capped with white snow and has affected daily life, forcing the closure of hundreds of roads and disrupting power supply in many areas. Officials on Friday said that a total of 565 roads, including two national highways, are currently blocked due to snow.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti is the worst hit. As many as 292 roads in the district are closed, including the key Leh-Manali National Highway (NH-03) and NH-505 connecting Kaza and Gramphu.

Roads Closed Across Several Districts

Apart from Lahaul and Spiti, several other districts have also reported road closures. Chamba has 105 roads blocked, followed by Una with 70 roads and Mandi with 64. In Sirmour, 20 roads are shut, while Kullu has nine closures. Kangra has four blocked roads and Solan has one.

Authorities are working to clear snow from major routes, but continuous snowfall in higher areas has slowed restoration work. People have been advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel, especially on hilly and snow-covered roads.

Power Supply Hit as Transformers Fail

The snowfall has also damaged the power infrastructure in the state. Nearly 4,800 power transformers have been affected, leaving many areas without electricity. Solan district has reported the highest number of affected transformers at 1,856, followed by Mandi with 901 and Kullu with 682.

Chamba has 659 affected transformers, while Sirmour reported 624. Lahaul and Spiti recorded 53 damaged units, Kinnaur 20, and Una two. Electricity department teams are working to restore supply, but harsh weather conditions are making the task difficult.

Weather Forecast and Snowfall Details

The Meteorological Department has predicted more heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh over the next two days, on January 24 and 25. While lower areas may see clearer weather, a yellow alert for dense fog and cold wave has been issued for districts including Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Sirmour.

Friday marked the first snowfall of this winter in the state, ending a dry spell that lasted nearly three months. Kothi village near Manali recorded the highest snowfall at 15 cm.

Gondla, Kukumseri, and Hansa villages in Lahaul and Spiti received 12 cm, 6.8 cm, and 5 cm respectively. Jubbal in Shimla district recorded 6 cm, while Manali received 4.8 cm. Keylong and Kufri recorded 4 cm each, and Shimla saw light snowfall of 0.6 cm.
District administrations have started snow-clearing operations and urged residents to remain cautious as weather conditions continue to be challenging.