Tourists traveling from Manali to Sissu and the Atal Tunnel to enjoy the weekend snowfall were caught off guard as the roads turned slippery and hazardous, making it unsafe to drive back. According to authorities, more than 1,000 vehicles were stuck at the tunnel alone on Sunday evening, causing massive traffic congestion both inside and outside the tunnel.
While some visitors stayed overnight in Sissu, many others were forced to spend the night inside their vehicles, trapped in the tunnel for nearly 20 hours.
A coordinated rescue operation was launched by Kullu police and BRO on Sunday evening and continued into Monday. The efforts, however, were slowed by continuous snowfall. By late Sunday night, approximately 700 vehicles were guided safely back to Manali, with the remaining 300 rescued by Monday afternoon, according to Manali DSP K D Sharma. He added, "We had a team of 40 personnel, but the heavy snowfall kept hampering the operation."
Over two feet of snow accumulated around the tunnel, but the rescue teams persevered. Kullu SDM Ashwani Kumar reported that about 100 vehicles were still stranded in Dhundi near the tunnel, and operations to bring them back were ongoing. Meanwhile, authorities closed the Manali-Atal Tunnel highway at Nehru Kund on Monday due to the continuous snowfall. Lahaul-Spiti police also issued an advisory urging tourists and locals to avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve.
Snowfall was reported across higher reaches, while moderate to heavy rainfall affected mid and low hills for the second consecutive day. Areas in Kullu district including Solang Valley, Palchan, Kothi, Marhi, Gulaba, Jalori Jot, Bijli Mahadev top, and Pangi Valley received snowfall, along with Dalhousie in Chamba district and most parts of Lahaul-Spiti, including Sissu, Gondhla, Keylong, Udaipur, Tandi, Koksar, and Jispa. Snow also fell in the upper reaches of Kangra district, with light snowfall recorded in Manali by Monday evening.
High mountain passes, including Rohtang, Shinku La, Baralacha La, and Kunzum, received more than two feet of snow since Sunday. Low and mid-hill regions, including Kullu, Mandi, Chamba, Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Shimla, Bilaspur, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, and Solan, witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall. Shimla recorded 11.5 mm of rain in 24 hours ending Monday 8:30 am, which was 249% above normal.
The persistent snow and rain caused a sharp drop in temperatures. Tabo was the coldest with a minimum of -2.5°C, followed by Kalpa at -2.4°C and Manali at 2.9°C. Maximum temperatures also fell significantly, with Una recording the highest at 18.6°C and Manali seeing a low of 5.8°C.
The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for light rain, snow, and thunderstorms on March 17-18, and an orange alert for heavy rain and snow on March 19.
Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions closely and urge travelers to exercise caution while visiting high-altitude areas.
