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New Delhi: Manali in Himachal Pradesh received a sudden heavy snowfall on Sunday. The snowfall started in the morning and left at least 1,000 vehicles stranded at the South Portal of the Atal tunnel. The tunnel was closed due to the snow, which led to the people being stuck there and soon after the Himachal Police along with the concerned department launched a rescue operation.

Following the snowfall, around 40 to 50 tourists have also been stranded at the Jalori Pass in Kullu, said the authorities.

Police managed to rescue several tourists

The police in Banjar town in Kullu have rescued nearly 2 dozen tourists. They are continuing their operations there and hope to rescue more people trapped there, due to the snowfall.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) KP Sharma was quoted by Republic as saying, “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.”

The local police have also approached the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for help in rescuing the stranded people. They have requested them to deploy their personnel at the sites, where there has been heavy snowfall and where people are trapped. Efforts are also on to clear the road of snow and melt it using appropriate means. This would help the stranded vehicles to move towards Manali.

The police have also appealed to the people to remain calm, as they try to rescue the stranded people. They sought cooperation from the public and also asked them to remain calm. The DSP said that the police were there to help them in every way possible.

Weather in Himachal Pradesh

Reports claimed that the continuous snowfall since Sunday morning had caused the roads in Kullu and Manali to become slippery. This led to restricted and slow movement of vehicles on these stretches. In some cases, tourists were trapped overnight in their vehicles.

Meanwhile, the weather continues to play havoc in Himachal Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department has issued an Orange alert for the state. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, going up to 50 km/hr are predicted for Kullu and Shimla. Weather warnings have also been issued for Solan and Sirmaur districts in the state for March 19.