Recently massive snowfall in shimla and himachal pradesh in the past 24 hours has claimed at least four lives and led to the closure of at least 177 roads, including three national highways. The snowfall has transformed shimla and manali into picturesque winter wonderlands, attracting tourists eager to soak in the snowy charm. Snowfall, which started yesterday, was recorded in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and the higher reaches of shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur districts.
Meanwhile the road closure has stranded around 500 vehicles among them 300 plus buses. About 174 roads and three national highways are closed and tourists in about 500 vehicles stranded near the Atal Tunnel were safely rescued till late on Monday, official told news agency PTI. The surge of tourists arriving to celebrate christmas and New Year in the snow-covered mountains seems to have contributed to the situation. shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders’ Association president MK Seth has told PTI that hotel occupancy in shimla is at more than 70%. The snowfall led to a 30 percentage point increase in room bookings, he added.
Moreover the Met has predicted rain and snow at isolated places in some parts of the state and shimla in particular from friday evening to sunday afternoon, with the precipitation peaking on Saturday. An intense cold wave persisted in the lower hills of Mandi while a cold wave was witnessed in Una and Chamba. Dense, moderate and shallow fog was witnessed in Bilapsur, Sundernagar and Mandi, respectively. Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti district was coldest in the state, recording a night temperature of minus 6.9 degrees Celsius.
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