4 national highways, 279 roads closed due to snow, rain in Himachal Pradesh

A total of 279 roads, including four national highways, have been closed for vehicular traffic in Himachal Pradesh due to recent snow and rains even though the state witnessed a dry day on Friday.

Manali received traces of snow in the past 24 hours, the MeT said on Saturday, adding a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region from the night of March 20.

About 96 per cent of the total roads are blocked in the high altitude and tribal areas, and a maximum of 249 roads were closed in Tribal Lahaul and Spiti, 11 in Chamba and nine in Kinnaur on Friday night.

Four roads are blocked each in Kullu and Mandi, one each in Kangra and Shimla, as per the state emergency operation centre. As many as 246 transformers are out of order and three water supply schemes are disrupted.

There was no significant change in the minimum temperatures and Keylong at minus 7.7 degree Celsius was the coldest at night while Kukumseri recorded a low of minus 4.1 degree Celsius.