226 roads, including three national highways, are closed in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in many districts, officials said on Wednesday.
People shivered under cold wave conditions as the minimum temperature dropped by a few notches in Jot, which received 10 cm of snow in the last 24 hours, followed by Khadrala (5 cm), Pooh (2 cm), Sangla (1.2 cm) and I- Keylong (1 cm).
Tabo in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in Himachal Pradesh, recording a night temperature of 10.6 degrees Celsius.
226 roads, including three national highways including Attari and Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu district, Khab Sangam in Kinnaur district, and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti districts have been closed for traffic, officials said. .
According to the government’s emergency operations centre, 123 roads have been closed in Shimla district, 36 in Lahaul and Spiti and 25 in Kullu.
Additionally, 173 transformers were disrupted, affecting the supply of electricity across the province.
The hopes of locals and tourists to enjoy a white Christmas in Queen of Hills, Shimla, were dashed when the town was greeted with sunshine on Wednesday morning.
Bhuntar received 9.7 mm of rain, Rampur 9.4 mm, Shimla 8.4 mm, Bajaura 8 mm, Seobagh 7.2 mm, Manali 7 mm, Gohar 6 mm, Mandi 5.4 mm, Jubbarhatti 3.8 mm, the Met office reported.
The Met office has predicted rain and snow at isolated places in other parts of the state, especially in Shimla, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, as rain is expected to intensify on Saturday.
Cold wave continued in Mandi, Manali, Chamba, Una, Hamirpur and Sundernagar, while heavy fog was observed in Sundernagar and Mandi, respectively, the Met office said.
The weather office has issued an ‘orange’ warning for freezing temperatures in Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi on Wednesday and a ‘yellow’ warning for dense fog in parts of Bhakra Dam and Balh Valley in Mandi on Thursday and Sunday.
