For the first time in recorded history, Om Parvat in Uttarakhand was completely snow-free last week, raising concerns among visitors over the unusual phenomenon. Images shared by nearby residents showed the usually snow-covered mountain looking desolate.
According to an official quoted by news agency PTI, the lack of snow could affect tourism in the area if the situation persists. However, snowfall on Monday night restored the snow cover on Om Parvat.
Located in the Vyas Valley at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet, Om Parvat is a major tourist attraction. Its snow naturally forms a design reminiscent of the Hindu symbol for “Om”, from which the place takes its name.
A visitor expressed his disappointment at seeing the mountain, known for being perpetually snow-covered, completely deserted during his visit on August 16.
Urmila Sanwal, a resident of Gunji village, showed pictures she took of the snow-free hill and remarked, “The Om-shaped pattern was barely visible without the snow,” PTI quoted her as saying.
What led to the disappearance of snow in Om Parvat?
The complete absence of snow this year is attributed to insufficient rainfall and irregular snowfall in the upper Himalayas for the past five years.
Locals added that another contributing factor could be the significant increase in the number of tourists since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jolingkong in October last year, which is disrupting the mountain’s ecosystem.
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Earlier this year, an unusual weather event linked to climate change caused the cancellation of all flights to and from Leh in Ladakh. The cancellation occurred due to a decrease in air density, which made it impossible to operate flights.
The grounding of the flights was a result of unexpectedly high temperatures – an unusual occurrence given Leh’s altitude of 11,000 feet, where winter temperatures can drop to -20 degrees Celsius.
