Heavy Snowfall Throws Life Out of Gear in Himachal Pradesh - Watch Videos

A fierce spell of snow and rain brought the hill state of Himachal Pradesh to a grinding halt on Friday, severing connectivity, plunging vast areas into darkness, and forcing authorities to impose severe travel restrictions. The sudden and intense weather system transformed large parts of the state into isolated, snow-bound zones, crippling normal life.

Official data from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) paints a stark picture of the disruption. A staggering 563 roads across the state have been rendered impassable due to heavy snow accumulation.

The crisis is most acute in the high-altitude tribal district of Lahaul & Spiti, where approximately 290 roads, including critical links like the Koksar-Rohtang Pass and Darcha-Sarchu routes, stand closed, effectively cutting off the region.

The damage is widespread. Chamba district reported 105 blocked roads, particularly in its remote pockets of Pangi and Bharmour. Una and Mandi saw 70 and 64 roads closed respectively, while other districts including Sirmaur, Kullu, and Kangra also faced significant blockages. Only Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts remained untouched by road closures.

Parallel to the transport crisis, a massive power breakdown has added to the public woes. As many as 4,797 distribution transformers have been knocked out of service. Solan district is the worst-hit with 1,856 transformers affected, followed by Mandi (901), Kullu (682), and Chamba (659). The situation in the state capital, Shimla, was compounded as the district emergency office itself struggled without power, hampering assessment efforts.

Shimla bore the brunt of the harsh weather, with temperatures plummeting far below seasonal norms. The city shivered at a maximum of just 0.6°C and a minimum of 0°C, against the usual range of 3°C to 11°C, and received around 25 cm of snowfall. In Kullu, a fresh blanket of nearly 45 cm (1.5 feet) of snow forced the suspension of vehicular movement on key highways.

Major arterial routes have been severed. Traffic on National Highway-03 between Jhiri and Manali is at a standstill due to heavy snow at the 18 Mile point. The vital Manali-Atal Tunnel Rohtang road has been closed as a precaution. The Aut-Luhri stretch of NH-305 is shut with snow accumulation reaching three feet in places. Incidents like a fallen tree blocking the Bhuntar-Manikaran road further exacerbated local disruptions.

With restoration work dependent on an improvement in weather, authorities have issued a stern advisory. Residents and tourists have been urged to avoid all non-essential travel and adhere strictly to official updates as crews prepare to begin massive clearance operations once conditions allow.