As tourists flocked to Shimla and Manali for the Christmas and New Year holidays, heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh claimed at least four lives in the past 24 hours and caused the closure of 223 roads, including three national highways, reports news agency PTI.

The districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, along with Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba, and Sirmaur, experienced heavy snowfall. Despite the hazardous road conditions, which included deadly accidents, tourists were undeterred, with room occupancy in Shimla reaching 70%, a 30% increase compared to last December, according to PTI.

Local reports indicated that several key national highways were closed due to snow and traffic disruptions, including routes from Attari to Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu district, and Khab Sangam in Kinnaur and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti.

On Monday, the state disaster management team rescued tourists stranded in around 500 vehicles near the Atal Tunnel. In the past 24 hours, four people have died, and several others were injured as vehicles skidded off the snow-covered roads.

The state saw 145 roads closed in Shimla, 25 in Kullu, and 20 in Mandi, while many areas were left without electricity due to 356 transformer failures.

Although the Himachal government has deployed 268 machines, including two snow blowers, to clear the roads, officials have advised tourists to follow district administration guidelines, heed local advice, and avoid driving in snowy conditions.

Mild snowfall was reported in the suburbs of Manali and Dalhousie late Monday, with Khadrala recording the highest snowfall at 24 cm. Other areas like Sangla, Shillaro, Chopal, and Jubbal also received significant snowfall, contributing to the ongoing disruption.