After overnight rain, several parts of Shimla left without electricity for 10 hours

“We have been without electricity for the past 10 hours. Wi-Fi connectivity is completely down, and our electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops, are out of power. The incessant rain has made things even more difficult,” Sujata Sharma, a resident of Kanlog, said.

Shimla electricity officer Lokesh Thakur admitted there was an issue. “There is a fault in the main electricity line supplying power to Kanlog, near the Central Potato Research Institute building. Our staff is working to fix the issue. The rain has made the restoration work more challenging. Electricity supply has been restored in some parts of Sanjauli. Our staff members are on the job,” he added.

Vipin Kumar, Sub-Divisional Officer, Electricity, said restoring the power supply would take time. “An electricity panel has developed a technical snag due to increased moisture in the environment during the ongoing rain. It will take some time to repair the panel. Many of its wires have been affected by carbon deposits. We need to repair all the wires and then dry them using small boilers,” he explained.

Meanwhile, moderate rainfall has been continuing in Shimla since late Thursday night. The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall with low visibility in Shimla for the next three days. It has also predicted light to moderate rain with thunderstorms in the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Mandi, Kullu, Sirmaur, and others.