Heavy snowfall, rain wreak havoc in Himachal; 500 roads blocked

KULLU: The spectre of extreme weather was back to haunt Himachal Pradesh as heavy snowfall and rain throughout Friday wreaked havoc on the Himalayan state, blocking over 500 roads, disrupting water supply and plunging several regions into darkness. Avalanches, landslides and flash floods accentuated the crisis looming over the previous 48 hours.

Snowfall blanketed the high hills, while the mid and lower regions were drenched in heavy rain.

The Chandigarh-Manali highway was temporarily shut after a landslide near Banala in Mandi district. Another landslide at 4 Mile near Pandoh in the same district caused a bottleneck. Landslides and avalanches also blocked the Shimla-Kinnaur highway at multiple points. Avalanches near Tinku Nullah in Kinnaur and Jangi Nullah compounded the woes.

Power outages in many parts of Himachal worsened the agony of residents.

Stay informed with the latest India news, updates on public holidays, and bank holidays in March.