Manali (Himachal Pradesh)

Border Roads Organisation operation is underway at the South Portal following heavy snowfall at the Atal Tunnel in Manali and the upper reaches of Kullu district since Monday afternoon, an official said.

"Since yesterday afternoon, there has been heavy snowfall at Atal Tunnel in Manali and the upper reaches of the district, and since yesterday itself, BRO's operation is being enforced at the south portal of the tunnel," Deputy Commissioner of Kullu, Anurag Chand Sharma, told ANI.

More than a thousand vehicles are stranded near the South Portal of the Atal Tunnel in Manali due to sudden snowfall, resulting in large-scale police deployment to conduct rescue operations for the past three hours, the police said on Sunday.

Mountains and houses were covered in a blanket of snow after Manali received snowfall.

Higher reaches of the state also witnessed fresh snowfall. Khadrala in Shimla district recorded about 10.2 cm snowfall, Kalpa 6.4 cm, Gondhla and Jot about 3 cm each, while Kukumseri recorded 1.5 cm snowfall.

Thunderstorm and lightning activity was reported in several areas, including Shimla, Kufri, Jubberhatti, Kangra and Sundernagar, while a hailstorm was reported in the Shimla district.

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According to the IMD, the new western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from the night of March 17, and its impact will be seen in Himachal Pradesh between March 18 and March 21.

The IMD has also issued an Orange Alert for March 18 and 19 for hailstorm and thunderstorm activity in several districts, including Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Kangra and Sirmaur.