Shimla: Fresh snowfall and rain lashed Himachal Pradesh, forcing authorities to suspend vehicular movement towards the Atal Tunnel and disrupting normal life across several high-altitude districts. Snowfall was recorded at Rohtang, Dhundi and the higher reaches of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, while lower regions witnessed intermittent rainfall through Tuesday night and Wednesday. As a precautionary measure, vehicles were stopped at Nehru Kund on Wednesday morning, and movement through Jalori Pass, which had resumed just three days ago, was again suspended in the evening due to fresh snowfall.
The Meteorological Department has issued an Orange Alert for heavy rain and snowfall in six districts for Thursday and Friday, while a Yellow Alert remains in place for other districts except Kinnaur. Strong winds with speeds of 40 to 50 km per hour are also expected in several parts of the state. Upper areas of Shimla, Kinnaur and parts of Kullu remained overcast throughout the day, with the weather worsening towards the evening as rain lashed lower regions. In Una, cloudy skies persisted since morning along with cold winds and light drizzle in some areas.
Continuous snowfall was reported at Rohtang Pass, Baralacha, Shinku La and Kunzum Pass since Wednesday morning. Areas around Koksar, Ghepan Peak, Bara and Chhota Shigri glaciers and the Chandra Valley witnessed a sharp drop in temperatures due to fresh snowfall near the Atal Tunnel region. Despite adverse conditions, traffic between Manali and Keylong has been restored for light motor vehicles, providing partial relief to commuters.
The fresh spell has also impacted infrastructure in tribal districts, with 11 roads and 11 electricity transformers affected in Kullu. The situation remains more severe in Lahaul-Spiti, where 134 roads and 15 transformers have been rendered non-functional. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as continued snowfall and rain are likely to cause further disruptions in the coming days.
