Tourists stranded in Manali due to landslides

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"Around 200 tourists were held up this (Monday) evening due to landslides near Kalath on the Manali-Kullu highway," Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajeshwar Goel told IANS on phone from Manali.

He said efforts were on to clear the blockade but inclement weather is hampering the road-clearing operation.

Kalath is located just 5 km from Manali towards Kullu on the Manali-Chandigarh National Highway 22.

Goel said all the tourists in Manali are safe and they would be allowed to move forward only after the way is cleared.

The weather bureau in Shimla said Manali and its nearby areas have been experiencing heavy snow since Sunday night.

"It started snowing in Manali around midnight after intermittent rain Sunday morning. So far, Manali and nearby areas have received more than three feet of snow," said Manmohan Singh, director of the meteorological office in Shimla.

Manali, around 300 km from the state capital, got a huge influx of tourists due to the five-day-long winter carnival that began Sunday.