KULLU: Following Tuesday night’s intense snowfall, 300 visitors who were stuck close to the Atal Tunnel’s South Portal (SP) in Rohtang were rescued by Himachal Pradesh Police. According to Kullu SP Sakshi Verma, “three hundred tourists were travelling at the South Portal (SP) of ATR when about fifty vehicles and one bus from the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) were trapped. The ATR has been cleared of all tourists.” SP Kullu went on to say that she carried out a rescue mission with the assistance of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Manali, Tehsildar Manali, Station House Officer (SHO) Manali, and a team.This is in response to an orange notice that the India Metrological Department issued on Tuesday for a number of locations in Himachal Pradesh, warning of the probability of rain in some areas of the state and snow in the higher mountains during the course of the following 48 hours. IMD states that there is a chance of heavy rain or snowfall in certain areas of the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Lahaul, Spiti, Mandi, and Shimla between the late hours of January 30 and the early hours of February 2. Snowfall has been forecast by the Meteorological Department for both the lowlands and the state’s high-altitude regions. In the higher regions of Himachal Pradesh, rain and snow are possible starting tonight and lasting for the next five to six days. Tonight is when the rainy activity will begin. There is a risk of moderate to severe snowfall in the districts of Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Kullu on January 31 and February 1. For these places, we have issued an orange alert. Districts of Kangra, Bilaspur, and Shimla are likely to have rain and thunderstorms with lightening activity, according to IMD Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma.
