As tourists flock to the popular hill stations of Shimla and Manali for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh has tragically resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals in the past 24 hours. The adverse weather conditions have also led to the closure of at least 223 roads across the state, including three national highways, according to reports from news agency PTI.
Regions including Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, as well as the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba, and Sirmaur, are experiencing significant snowfall. Despite the dangerous road conditions, tourist interest remains high, with hotel occupancy in Shimla reported at 70 percent—30 percentage points higher than during the same time last year.
Local reports indicate that key national highways, including routes from Attari to Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu, and Khab Sangam in Kinnaur, have been closed due to heavy traffic disruptions. On Monday, the state disaster management team was busy rescuing tourists stranded in approximately 500 vehicles within the Atal Tunnel. The harsh weather has resulted in numerous vehicle accidents, leading to injuries for many travellers.
Currently, 145 roads are closed in Shimla, followed by 25 in Kullu and 20 in Mandi. Power outages have affected many areas, with 356 transformer failures reported.
In response to the severe weather, the Himachal government has deployed 268 machines, including two snow blowers, to clear the roads. Authorities advise tourists to heed local advisories and avoid driving in snowy conditions.
Light snowfall occurred on Monday in communities surrounding Manali and Dalhousie, with Khadrala recording the highest snowfall at 24 cm. Other notable snowfall totals included Sangla (16.5 cm), Shillaro (15.3 cm), and Shimla (7 cm).
On Tuesday, a cold wave brought snow and rain to the state, causing temperatures to drop by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius in many areas. Kukumseri in Lahaul Spiti recorded the lowest temperature at -6.9 degrees Celsius.
In response to the severe weather, over 1,000 vehicles were stranded, and 700 tourists were rescued in Manali due to a snowstorm. The Kullu administration closed the highway to the Atal Tunnel and advised against travel to higher altitudes following a yellow alert from the weather department, which also predicted more rain and snow on December 27 and 28.
(With PTI inputs)