Snowfall, rain disrupt life in Himachal; 683 roads blocked, over 5,700 power transformers hit

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 24 (ANI): Widespread rainfall and heavy snowfall across Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours have severely disrupted public utilities, blocking hundreds of roads and affecting electricity and water supply in several districts, according to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), Himachal Pradesh.
As per the Evening Public Utility report issued by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) at 6 pm on Friday, a total of 683 roads, including two National Highways (NH-03 and NH-505), remain blocked across the state. The number of distribution transformers (DTRs) disrupted rose to 5,775, while 126 water supply schemes were reported to be affected.
The worst-hit regions include Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Chamba, Kullu and Sirmaur, where heavy snowfall and rain triggered road blockages and power outages. In Lahaul-Spiti alone, 290 roads are blocked, and both key National Highways connecting the region remain closed due to snow accumulation. Several strategic stretches such as Koksar-Rohtang Pass, Darcha-Sarchu and Gramphu-Batal have been shut for traffic.
In Mandi district, 126 roads were reported blocked, while 694 DTRs were disrupted, affecting the electricity supply in large parts of the district. Chamba district reported 132 blocked roads and disruption of 643 transformers, while Kullu saw 79 roads blocked and 587 DTRs affected, mainly due to faults in main high-tension lines caused by snowfall.
Power supply restoration in Shimla district also faced challenges as the District Emergency Operations Centre reported a complete electricity outage since January 23, compounded by a non-functional generator due to a fuel-related issue .
Quoting the SDMA, officials said that restoration work is underway on a war footing, with road-clearing machinery and field teams deployed in affected areas, subject to weather conditions. The authority has advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly in higher reaches, and follow advisories issued by the district administrations.
The SDMA has also directed line departments to ensure priority restoration of essential services, while keeping emergency response teams on standby as further snowfall is forecast in the coming days. (ANI)