Kullu: The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall on Thursday, and the weather department has issued a yellow alert for heavy snowfall and rain in many parts of the state in the coming days. Most parts of Lahaul-Spiti and the higher reaches of Chamba district, including Pangi sub-division, recorded light snowfall on Thursday. It snowed in Sissu, Koksar, Jispa, Gondhla, Keylong, in Lahaul-Spiti, which remains cut off from the rest of the state.
According to the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), 118 roads were still blocked in Lahaul Spiti, with 58 in Lahaul sub-division, 46 in Udaipur, and 14 in Spiti. A total of 23 non-functional transformers are also to be repaired. High altitude areas of Pangi, which have been disconnected from the rest of the state, also saw snowfall. Even after 15 days, electricity is still to be restored in the valley and majority of the link roads are also yet to be cleared of snow and are presently lying blocked.
A letter was written on Thursday by Trilok Thakur, chairman of an NGO based in Pangi, to the resident commissioner of Pangi, saying that the valley had blackout since February 25 and requesting to speed up the electricity restoration work, which he described was moving at a “snail’s pace”.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, issued a yellow alert for heavy rains and snowfall in parts of Himachal on March 15 and 16. Reportedly, heavy snowfall is likely in parts of Lahaul Spiti and heavy rains in parts of Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, and Kangra districts. The Centre issued a red alert for thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in all the districts except Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur on these two days.
On Thursday, most places in Himachal recorded a rise in the minimum temperature, even as Tabo in Lahaul Spiti recorded the lowest minimum temperature of -5.1 degrees Celsius. Among the tourist destinations, Shimla recorded a temperature of 11.2 degrees Celsius, Manali 6.7 degrees C, Dharamshala 6.7 degrees C, and Dalhousie 8.7 degrees C.
