104 roads in Himachal Pradesh blocked after rain, snow; yellow alert sounded

Shimla and surrounding areas experience intermittent rainfall (data map)

Shimla:

Normal life was affected in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday with snowfall in the highlands and rains lashing mid and low hills, blocking 104 roads and three national highways, officials said.

They said vehicular movement towards Keelung was suspended due to a massive landslide at the selfie point near Sisu on the Manali-Keelung highway.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre, as many as 104 roads were closed due to snowfall, including 99 roads in Lahaul and Spiti.

Reports said access to Gramh-Losar, Darcha-Sarchu and Rohtang Pass was blocked at Lahaul and Spiti.

A Border Roads Organization (BRO) spokesman said the organization had deployed personnel and machinery to clear the blockade and traffic was expected to resume within the next two to three hours.

The local meteorological station issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms in some areas from April 22 to 23.

Rainfall is expected in the mid-mountain areas and rain and snowfall in the upper reaches during the next six days from April 21 to 26 as a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from April 22.

According to weather data, Koksar received 19 cm of snowfall, Gondla 16.5 cm, Keylong 8.5 cm and Kukumseri 2.4 cm.

As widespread rainfall lashed the mid and lower hills, Bharmaur and Chamba were the wettest with 25 mm of rainfall; Tissa 24.3 mm; Solan 24 mm; Rajgarh 20.4 mm; Kalpa 20.2 mm; Renuka 19.4 mm; Kukumseri 19.3 mm; Reckong Peo, Dalhousie, Koksar and Hilaro 19mm.

Shimla and its surrounding areas witnessed intermittent rainfall with lightning and the sky remained overcast.

Farmers and orchardists are worried as storms and hail are harmful to apple and wheat crops.

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