New Delhi: Many snowfall has caused widespread disruption across Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, blocking roads, affecting essential services, and impacting daily life. The intense weather is attributed to a western disturbance, which has led to increased snowfall and rainfall in north India.
The Himachal Pradesh Disaster Management Authority reported that 583 roads, including five national highways, have been closed due to heavy snowfall. Power supply has also been disrupted, with 2,263 distribution transformers affected and 279 water supply schemes impacted. Many areas are experiencing outages in electricity and drinking water, while traffic movement remains suspended.
Authorities have advised residents near rivers and drains to remain cautious. In Kullu, a landslide early in the morning blocked drains, diverting water into the Gandhinagar and Shastrinagar markets, resulting in huge damage, according to Kullu Municipal Council President Gopal Krishan Mahant.
An avalanche struck the Chamoli region, trapping at least 24 people under snow near a highway close to the Tibet border. At first, 57 people were buried, but 33 were rescued as of the latest update. Rescue operations are ongoing. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted “heavy to very heavy” snowfall in the region through Friday, after which conditions are expected to improve.
Continuous rainfall has impacted Jammu, which led authorities to shut schools in several districts. The Jammu and Kashmir government has extended winter vacations in the Valley and winter zone areas of the Jammu division by six days. Sonamarg has witnessed 2.5 to 3 feet of snowfall since Thursday. The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has postponed board exams for Classes 10, 11, and 12 in hard-zone areas of J&K and Ladakh.
Delhi experienced light rainfall on Friday, bringing relief after recording its warmest February night a day earlier. The IMD forecasted thunderstorms with rain, with a maximum temperature expected around 26°C. Several areas in Punjab and Haryana also reported rainfall, with Amritsar receiving 17.5 mm, Ludhiana 5.8 mm, and Gurdaspur 20.7 mm. In Haryana, Ambala recorded 6.2 mm, Hisar 2.8 mm and Karnal 4 mm of rainfall.
