E-Paper
Fresh snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal, police issue advisory
In Chamba district, fresh snowfall at Sach Pass has forced the closure of the Bairagarh-Killar road, snapping the road link between the tribal Pangi valley and the district headquarters
Prefer HTon Google
Higher reaches and mountain passes in Himachal Pradesh’s tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti have received fresh snowfall, triggering cold wave conditions in adjoining valleys and prompting police to issue a travel advisory.
Fresh snowfall was reported in the high-altitude areas of Kangra, Chamba, and Kullu districts. Rohtang Pass and Marhi received fresh snowfall on Friday morning, covering the mountains in a blanket of white.
In Chamba district, fresh snowfall at Sach Pass has forced the closure of the Bairagarh-Killar road, snapping the road link between the tribal Pangi valley and the district headquarters. The road was closed after the snowfall in the region on Thursday night.
Officials said more than a foot of snow is estimated to have accumulated at Sach Pass. Jeet Singh Thakur, superintending engineer, PWD, Dalhousie Circle, said the department was making efforts to reopen the road at the earliest. “If weather conditions remain favourable, Sach Pass will be reopened to traffic within two to three days to ensure that residents of Pangi do not face difficulties in reaching the district headquarters,” he said.
Situated at an altitude of 14,500 feet, Sach Pass connects Chamba with the remote Pangi valley. The closure of Sach Pass cuts off the Pangi valley from the district headquarters, Chamba. It forces the residents of Pangi to undertake a long and arduous journey via Jammu and Kashmir or Kullu to reach the district headquarters.
The snowfall also disrupted road connectivity in Lahaul-Spiti district, with the Rohtang-Koksar and Darcha-Sarchu stretches of NH-003 remaining closed. The Darcha-Shinkula road and the Gramphu-Batal stretch of NH-505 were also closed due to snowfall. The Losar-Batal stretch was likewise closed.
Kullu police issued a travel advisory, urging tourists and residents to avoid travelling beyond Gulaba towards Rohtang Pass and refrain from unnecessary travel to other high-altitude areas.
With high altitude areas continuing to experience colder nights, Kukumseri in the tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state at -2.4°C on Friday.
More showers likely in HP’s high-altitude areas: IMD
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Shimla, has forecast continued rain or snowfall in the state’s high-altitude areas on November 14. Rain and showers are likely across the state again on November 15, while dry weather is expected to prevail from November 16 to 19.
IMD officials said minimum temperatures are likely to fall gradually by 2-4°C across many parts of the state during the next 24 hours. Thereafter, temperatures are expected to rise gradually by 2-3°C over the next three to four days.
While no significant change in maximum temperatures is expected across most parts of the state during the next 24 hours, they are likely to rise gradually by 2-3°C over the subsequent three to four days.
Rainfall recorded across J&K, light snowfall in higher reaches
The rain and snowfall from the past two days have led to a drop in day and night temperatures. The upper reaches of the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded snowfall. There were long queues of tourists waiting for a Gondola ride to have a first-hand experience of the snowfall.
According to the Meteorological Centre, Srinagar, Baramulla recorded the highest rainfall of 49.5mm, followed by Gulmarg with 40.6mm and Kupwara with 37.3mm. The Warvan valley and Sadna Top in Kupwara recorded more than one feet of snow. Light snowfall, ranging from two to six inches, was also recorded over the higher reaches of the Northern parts of the Valley. The historical Mughal road was closed for the second day due to snowfall at Peer Ke Gali.
The MeT centre said a brief spell of light rain and light snow over higher reaches is likely at scattered places towards late afternoon on November 13 and 14. The weather is expected to remain generally dry from November 15 to 21, with cloudy weather towards November 20 and 21.
The MeT centre has further predicted generally dry weather from November 22 to 24. Meanwhile, in an advisory, farmers have been advised to resume farm operations from November 15 onwards.
