590 roads closed, 2,250 transformers hit in state

Heavy to very heavy rainfall and snowfall battered Himachal Pradesh since Thursday morning. While several places recorded over 100 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours, some places like Kothi (120 cm) in Lahaul and Spiti and Khadrala (115 cm) in Shimla district received around four feet of snowfall. Though the state had 70 per cent rain deficiency till a few days ago, it received 15 per cent more rainfall than normal due to the downpour.

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The massive precipitation led to over 590 roads being blocked and several areas, particularly tribal regions, being cut off from the rest of the state. The downpour also disrupted over 2,250 power distribution transformers and 279 water schemes, leaving a large number of people in the dark and without water supply. Kullu, Mandi, Lahaul and Spiti and Chamba districts were affected the most — water entered houses and shops in a Kullu market, some vehicles were swept away and there were landslides on the Manali-Chandigarh highway.

Kinnaur, too, was cut off from rest of the state. A landslide near Nigulsari last night blocked the National Highway-5. Along with heavy snowfall, incidents of landslide and avalanche were reported in the district. Meanwhile, Shimla received heavy rain but most of the roads in the district were open. While the downpour caused trouble at many places, horticulturalists and farmers were delighted over the precipitation. For apple growers, the rain and snow brought the much-needed relief from the long dry spell.

As per the weather department, the wet spell would lose its intensity by tomorrow morning but there could be light rain or snow at isolated places on Saturday and Sunday as well.