Heavy Snowfall Hits Manali, Over 1000 Vehicles Stranded Near Atal Tunnel

Manali: Himachal Pradesh's Manali witnessed a sudden heavy snowfall, leaving over 1000 vehicles stranded near the South Portal of the Atal Tunnel. The closure of the Atal Tunnel prompted a large-scale rescue operation by the concerned department and the Himachal police. According to reports, the heavy snowfall, which began on Sunday, has also stranded around 40 to 50 tourists at the Jalori Pass in Kullu. 

As per the officials, the Banjar police have successfully rescued over 2 dozen tourists, and active rescue operations are underway to reach the remaining stranded visitors. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) KD Sharma is supervising the rescue operation to ensure the safe evacuation of the stranded individuals. "I am personally present at the spot with my police team, supervising and managing the ongoing rescue operation. Every possible effort is being made by the police to ensure that all individuals are safely evacuated toward Manali," he said.

The police have requested the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and other concerned agencies to deploy their teams to the site immediately. Efforts are made to clear the snow from the road using soil, machinery, and urea fertiliser to melt the ice, ensuring that all stranded vehicles and tourists can be safely moved toward Manali.

IMD Issues Orange Alert For Himachal Pradesh

The officials said that the rescue operation has been ongoing for the past few hours, with the police and other rescue teams making efforts to evacuate the stranded people. The police have appealed to the public to maintain patience and cooperate with the administration during this difficult situation. "We request everyone to maintain patience and cooperate with the police administration, as the police are always committed to your service and safety," DSP Sharma said.

Reports suggested that the snowfall caused the road to become slippery, triggering long traffic jams and leaving many tourists trapped in their vehicles overnight. The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds with wind speeds between 40 to 50 km per hour for Kullu and Shimla, as well as hail warnings for Solan and Sirmaur districts on March 19.

Further details regarding the weather conditions in Himachal Pradesh are awaited.