Lahaul-Spiti’s Chenab flow is blocked by two avalanches, putting downstream communities on notice

Twin avalanches in the tribal Lahaul-Spiti area of Himachal Pradesh today blocked the Chenab’s flow. In the Lahaul valley, an avalanche struck first between the villages of Jasrath and Jobrang, and then between Triloknath and Shenur.

For individuals who reside downstream of Jasrath hamlet in the district, the district government has issued an advisory. According to SP Mayank Chaudhary, residents of Jobrang, Raape, Tadang, Thirot, and other nearby areas have been urged to use care and notify the closest police station in the event of an emergency.

Fresh snow fell today in the highest levels of Mandi, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti, while the lower regions were besieged by nonstop rain.

A store was destroyed by an avalanche near the Tandi bridge on the Manali-Leh route in Lahaul-Spiti, but no casualties were recorded. Additionally, snow buildup caused damage to a portion of the roof of a residential building at Government College, Kukumseri. Lahaul Valley’s power supply has been interrupted since yesterday. There were up to 314 broken transformers, which left the area completely dark. The flow of traffic on connecting and major highways has also been affected. In the area, up to 292 roads—including two national highways—had been blocked. In addition, there was damage to the footbridge that linked Chhating and Trilokinath.

For the second day in a row, the BSNL’s landline and mobile services in the area were also interrupted. About 60 cm of new snow fell in Kaza and Keylong, Lahaul-Spiti’s district headquarters. More than four feet of snow fell in the vicinity of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh route.

According to official sources, there were many avalanches in the district in Seli Nullah in Rashel village, Faldi Nullah in Jobrang village, and Choveer Mod in Luhani village; however, there were no reports of fatalities or property damage.

DC According to Rahul Kumar, the district’s electricity supplies and vehicle traffic are still impacted by the significant snowfall.

“Due to bad weather, the Public Works Department and the Border Roads Organization were unable to begin snow removal activities. Similar challenges are being faced by the HP State Electricity Board in getting to snow-bound regions in order to restore the power supply. The authorities will begin the repair work as soon as the weather becomes better,” he said. During the previous two days, up to 81 visitors have been stuck in Kaza and the surrounding areas of the Spiti Valley. Since there has been an interruption in the power supply and cell services, they have been unable to contact their relatives. According to the government, they were staying in secure motels. Due to new snow, 34 routes in the Kullu district—including two national highways—were blocked. In a similar vein, the district’s 36 electrical transformers sustained damage.

The Manali government imposed restrictions on vehicles on the Manali-Leh highway going beyond Nehru Kund and into the Lahaul valley.

In the meanwhile, a DC directive said that on March 4, all educational institutions in Lahaul-Spiti would stay closed, with the exception of ongoing board exams for every class. In a same vein, SDM Vikas Shukla issued an order stating that all educational institutions within the Kullu subdivision will be closed on March 4.