Defence ministry sounds avalanche alert in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Shimla: With intense cold conditions prevailing and a heavy round of snow in higher hills, defence ministry has issued an advisory for people living about 2000 meters altitude not to venture in avalanche prone areas as danger persists.

“Between 16th and 17th January, medium level danger of avalanche exists in some part of Himachal Pradesh,” a defence ministry spokesman warned.

People staying in snow bound areas of Solang, Beas Kund and Nehrukund, Gulaba, Marhi of Kullu districts and Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts of Himachal at above 2000 meters altitude are advised not to venture in avalanche prone areas, the spokesman said.

People living in snow bound areas are also advised to clean the snow from roof top of their houses or bunkers to avoid any casualty due to roof collapse,” he added.

Taking stock of the situation arising due to heavy snowfall, a state government officials said that National Highway No 22 to Rampur from Shimla through Narkanda was snowbound and closed to traffic.

Other major roads of Shimla district closed to traffic due to heavy snow conditions were Shimla-Chopal via Theog and Shimla-Rohru via Kharapathar. All other major roads were open, he added.

Presiding over a high level meeting Deepak Sanan, principal secretary revenue said that National Highway 22 had been opened upto Matiana and efforts to open up the road to Rohru were underway.

Power supply that had been disrupted in Kullu and Manali is likely to be resorted by today, he said. Power supply to Kinnaur, Kaza and Chopal stands broken down and officials say that it is likely to be restored in the next two days.

Efforts are being made to bring normalcy into all snow affected areas, said Sanan.

Meanwhile, the met office has reported heavy snowfall to have taken place in most places in the higher hills, tribal belts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and in Manali valley.

Snowfall recorded in the last 24 hours at Shimla was 24 cms, in Kinnaur at Sangla it was 31 cm and at Kalpa it was 41.8 cms , at Theog it was 25 cms, at Kotkhai 15 cm, at Keylong in Lahaul it was 21.7 cms and at Manali the snowfall recorded was 35 cms.

Significant rains were reported from all over the state, with Dharamshala recording 46.8 mm of rain, Kullu 48.9 mm, Palampur 57 mm and Solan 32.7 mm of rain. At smaller stations at Gohar rain recorded in last 24 hours was 105 mm.

With the western disturbance still active over the state, the weatherman has forecast more snow in the higher reaches and widespread rains in the lower hills.