The tribal Lahaul and Spiti district woke up to fresh snowfall on Saturday with normal life being paralysed and road traffic thrown out of gear.
The district headquarters Keylong received 15 cm of snow while it was recorded much higher in high-altitude areas.
The Atal Tunnel has been blocked for traffic movement, cutting off the tribal valley from the rest of the state.
The district administrations of Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti have asked locals and tourists to avoid venturing to high-altitude areas.
Manav Verma, Lahaul and Spiti Superintendent of Police, said the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway was expected to remain out of bounds for a few days.
The hoteliers of Kullu-Manali, meanwhile, appeared cheerful and optimistic about the snow attracting tourists and providing fresh lease of life to their businesses, hit severely by the Covid pandemic.
