A major rescue operation was launched in Kullu after around 1,500 vehicles got stranded in snow at Dhundi and the north and south portals of the Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway.
The snowfall caused the road to become dangerously slippery, triggering long traffic jams and leaving many tourists trapped in their vehicles overnight.
Many of the stranded tourists were travelling in their own cars or taxis from the plains and were inexperienced in driving on snowy roads. The situation worsened as the snow accumulation increased, blocking traffic and preventing movement. Some tourists were left in their vehicles throughout the night in freezing temperatures, describing the experience as “horrible”.
DSP Manali KD Sharma said, “The rescue operation, which began at 2 pm, continued through the night, with police personnel working tirelessly in sub-zero temperatures to ensure the safety of the public. By 10 am the next day, all vehicles had been evacuated, and all 8,000 stranded tourists had been rescued.”
In Lahaul Valley, police officers manually cleared snow with shovels to help evacuate vehicles safely. The heavy snowfall also affected the movement of vehicles along the Manali-Leh highway, causing delays and complications for travellers.
Authorities are urging tourists to exercise caution while travelling in the region and to stay updated on weather conditions before setting out. In addition to the rescue efforts in Kullu, around 30 tourists from West Bengal, Delhi, and Uttarakhand who were stranded on the National Highway between Chango and Maling village in Kinnaur district were also rescued by the police.
Today, the higher reaches of Mandi, Kullu-Manali, and Lahaul and Spiti received snowfall, while the lower regions of these districts experienced rain showers. As a result, temperatures in the region have dropped drastically.
