A heroic rescue operation was started in the northern Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh as at least 300 tourists found themselves stranded due to a delayed spell of heavy snowfall. Approximately 50 vehicles, including a tourist bus, were immobilized in the Atal Tunnel through the Rohtang Pass, facing several hours of hardship after the snowfall on Tuesday.
The situation prompted an orange alert from the country’s federal weather agency, signaling imminent snowfall in the higher mountains and rains in other parts of the state over the next 48 hours. The incident occurred near the South Portal of Atal Tunnel Rohtang (ATR), reputed to be the world’s longest high-altitude highway tunnel.
Police sources confirmed the challenging circumstances, stating, “Around 50 vehicles and one Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus got stuck near the South Portal (SP) of ATR, in which 300 tourists were traveling. All tourists have been evacuated from ATR.”
Videos circulating online depicted the stark reality as dozens of cars lined up on the highway, with people and police personnel joining forces to assist those stranded near the Atal Tunnel.
This season, the lack of significant snowfall had raised concerns among locals and environmentalists, who were relieved by the recent spell of snowfall since Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of further snowfall in the Indian regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh for the upcoming week.
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the head of IMD, highlighted the significance of this snowfall, marking the initial substantial rainfall in North India for the year. The ongoing western disturbances are expected to result in widespread snowfall in the Himalayan region, essential for the ecological balance as it replenishes water sources and glaciers.
Environmentalists have drawn attention to the region’s susceptibility to climate change, causing extreme weather occurrences and extended periods of dry weather in both winter and summer seasons.
Orange alerts have been issued for Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi for Wednesday and Thursday, indicating the potential for heavy snowfall in higher altitude regions and fog in the plains. The alerts emphasize the need for caution and preparedness amid challenging weather.
