Avalanche advisory issued in Lahaul and Spiti as snow, rain lash Himachal

Shimla: The Lahaul and Spiti police on Tuesday urged people to stay away from the Chandra river besides issuing an avalanche advisory asking them to stay clear of steep slopes and be on alert in snowy areas.

The flow of water in the Chandra river, which was obstructed following an avalanche on Tuesday morning due to snow and rain in the area, has been restored resulting in a rise in its water level and, therefore, people are advised to stay away from the river, police said.

Commuters have also been asked to exercise caution while travelling through snowy areas as the risk of avalanches remains high in the snow-bound district, they added.

"Avoid steep slopes, be aware of danger, travel with companions and be updated on weather conditions and stay alert in snowy areas,” the advisory read.

Adverse weather conditions have led to the closure of 112 roads, including three national highways, in Himachal Pradesh. Of these, 107 roads are in tribal Lahaul and Spiti district.

While isolated areas in the higher hills and tribal regions received light snowfall, the mid and low hills witnessed intermittent rains in the past 24 hours.

According to the Meteorological Centre, Shimla, Hansa and Koksar in tribal Lahaul and Spiti have received 5 cm and 2 cm of snow, respectively.

Among the areas which experienced rainfall, Kothi recorded the highest with 63 mm, followed by Chamba with 41 mm, Manali with 35 mm, Jot with 31 mm, Dalhousie with 28 mm, Keylong with 22 mm, Kasol with 19 mm and Kangra with 17 mm, the weather office said on Tuesday.

It has issued an orange alert in the state warning of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds at the speed of 30-40 km per hour in isolated areas on Friday. The alert comes as a fresh western disturbance is anticipated to affect northwest India from Thursday.

The weather office has also predicted a wet spell in the state until April 21, except on Wednesday.

There was no significant change in the minimum temperature and Keylong was coldest in the night recording minimum temperature of 0.1 degree Celsius.

The police have issued two numbers -- 9459461355 and 8988092298 -- for any road-related emergencies.