Heavy snowfall leaves 500 tourists stranded in Manali, rescue operation underway

Manali Subdivisional Magistrate Raman Gharsangi said efforts are being made to restore vehicular traffic and provide facilities for stranded people.

Representational image | A view of the valley after fresh snowfall in Manali on 28 December 2020.| PTI

Kullu: The rescue operation of more than 500 tourists, who have been stranded at the road between South Portal of Atal Tunnel and Solang Nalla in Manali of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh following heavy snowfall is underway.

Raman Gharsangi, Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manali in a statement said that efforts are being made to restore vehicular traffic and rescue stranded people. “Rescue teams reached Dhundi around 8 pm. Over twenty 4X4 rescue vehicles with rescue teams sent with orders to provide facilities for stranded people. Taxis and one 48 seater bus also moved to Kulang so that evacuated persons could be shifted. Rescue is still underway,” Gharsangi said.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a ‘yellow’ weather warning for heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh.

The department issued a ‘yellow’ weather warning of heavy snowfall in mid and high hills on January 5 and thunderstorm and lightning in plains and low hills from January 3 to 5.