Snowfall Disrupts Normal Life in Himachal as Fresh Spell Likely From January 27

Shimla, Jan 25: Fresh snowfall continues in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, with Hansa recording 7 cm and Keylong 1 cm of new snow. Although some parts of the state witnessed clear weather and sunshine on Sunday, normalcy has not yet been fully restored in the hill regions following heavy snowfall on January 23.

The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for January 27, predicting light to moderate rain and snowfall across most areas of the state. Heavy snowfall accompanied by strong winds is likely in Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts, while a yellow alert has been issued for the remaining eight districts. Wind speeds may reach 50 to 70 km per hour. Another western disturbance is expected to become active on January 31, bringing further rain and snowfall to some parts of the state.

The recent snowfall has severely affected road connectivity, with 832 roads including three national highways currently closed. Bus services remain suspended on 592 routes, while buses on 187 routes were stranded at different locations, causing major inconvenience to passengers.

Electricity and water supply have also been disrupted. As many as 1,942 transformers are still out of service, leading to blackout-like situations in several areas. Around 245 drinking water schemes remain affected, though restoration work is underway.

Meanwhile, popular tourist destinations such as Shimla, Manali, Kufri, Dalhousie, Chail and Dharamshala have witnessed an increase in tourist inflow after snowfall, with hotel occupancy in Shimla touching nearly 90 percent.