- Heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh's Mindhal village caused snow to flow down a mountainside like a river
- Locals used traditional whistles to warn others and move to safer areas during the snow flow event
- The incident occurred in the isolated Pangi tribal area, where record snowfall has cut off roads
A breathtaking yet unsettling scene unfolded in Himachal Pradesh's Mindhal village, where heavy snowfall created a "river of snow" down a mountainside. The natural phenomenon, triggered by built-up snow giving way, has left locals stunned and authorities on high alert amid harsh winter conditions. Videos of the spectacle have gone viral, showing thick sheets of snow sliding rapidly downhill like a liquid stream due to sudden shifts during heavy precipitation.
"Finally a good amount of snow in the Himalayas. After yesterday's snowfall almost all areas are snow-covered now. You have seen water flowing; today check snow flowing through the stream," the video was captioned by a user on X.
Watch the video here:
Villagers in the area used traditional whistles, which are customary warning signals for natural hazards in the region, to alert others nearby about the moving snow and urge them to move to safer spots.
The incident occurred in Mindhal village within the Pangi tribal area, a high-altitude and isolated region of Chamba. Pangi Valley's residents described this snowfall as one of the heaviest in years. The record snowfall has isolated the valley, cutting off roads and disrupting daily life. Across the state, over 800 roads have been blocked.
How does it happen?
Notably, snow cascading down like a waterfall is pretty common in hilly areas. It happens when strong winds dislodge snow from ridges or when there's too much snow on steep slopes.
In this case, heavy and record snowfall, following a prolonged dry spell, led to a significant accumulation of fresh snow. A sudden shift or the force of gravity then caused thick sheets of this snow to surge rapidly down the mountainside, creating the visual effect of a flowing river or a "snow waterfall."
Experts note that while visually spectacular, such rapid snow flows are highly dangerous in steep mountainous terrain.
