Man missing after avalanche in Himachal’s Manali

Shimla, March 28

A man has gone missing after an avalanche in Kullu district’s Manali, police said on Thursday.

The avalanche occurred on Thursday afternoon at Jagatsukh village in the suburbs of Manali town as the snow on mountains has started to melt during the ongoing dry spell.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Manali Raman Sharma said the police, administration and locals are engaged in the rescue operation and the snow is being removed to trace the missing person.

Manali DSP KD Sharma said suddenly a huge avalanche hit a drain from the top of the hill and Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Kangra, got buried in the snow.

The weather remained mainly dry in the state in the past 24 hours and the local MeT office has issued “orange” warning of thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, hail, heavy rain and gusty winds at isolated places in five districts —Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Chamba and Kangra — on Friday and Saturday.

A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the Western Himalayan region from March 29 and the MeT office Shimla has predicted a wet spell in the state till April 3.