Manali, India – Heavy snowfall has paralyzed life in and around Manali, Himachal Pradesh, stranding hundreds of tourists on the national highway and disrupting daily life. The sudden and intense weather event, which began on Friday, has blocked roads, disrupted power supplies, and prompted authorities to issue travel restrictions.

The most severely affected area is the national highway near Manali, where over 600 tourists found themselves stranded, many forced to spend the night in their vehicles. Traffic jams stretched up to 15 kilometers as vehicles crawled along slippery roads. Some tourists recounted walking nearly 7 kilometers to reach Manali after being stuck for over three hours. "We remained stuck in the traffic jam for more than three hours and then decided to walk our way to Manali, covering nearly 7 km,” said Akshay, a tourist from Delhi.

The heavy snowfall, while ending a prolonged dry spell, has created extremely challenging conditions. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) reported that 683 roads, including two national highways (NH-03 and NH-505), are blocked across the state. In addition to the blocked roads, over 5,000 electricity transformers are out of service.

Adding to the tourists' woes, there have been reports of private taxi operators overcharging stranded travelers. Some taxi owners are allegedly asking for ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for a 20-km journey between Manali and Patlikuhal, a significant increase due to the suspension of public transport.

A video circulating on social media platform X shows the chaotic scene with frustrated tourists struggling to navigate snow-laden streets. Families are reportedly struggling in sub-zero temperatures, and phone networks are failing. Authorities have been distributing food, blankets, and other essential supplies to those stranded. Some tourists were caught unprepared, lacking adequate supplies or blankets to shield themselves from the cold. Some were forced to cook instant noodles and boil eggs on the roadside using portable gas stoves.

The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and snowfall until January 28, with another western disturbance expected to become active from January 26. The administration is working to clear the blocked roads and restore essential services, but the adverse weather conditions are posing significant challenges. As of January 24, approximately one foot of snow had accumulated on Manali's Mall Road.