Watch: Heavy snowfall in Manali boosts tourism, draws large crowds

The north Indian hill state of Himachal Pradesh has been experiencing heavy rainfall and snowfall over the past two days, with many areas receiving intense precipitation. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that another rain and snow spell is expected to begin after March 4 due to an approaching western disturbance.

According to Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Senior Scientist at IMD's Meteorological Center in Shimla, the state received rain and snowfall with moderate precipitation. "In the last 24 hours, almost all parts of Himachal Pradesh have recorded rainfall and snowfall. Some regions, including Kullu, Mandi, Kangra, and Shimla, have experienced hefty rainfall. The highest recorded rainfall was 112 mm in Bhuntar, followed by 108 mm in Chhatrari (Chamba) and Sundernagar (Mandi). Other regions, such as Baijnath, Karsog, Rampur, and Manali, recorded between 60 mm and 68 mm, categorising them under heavy rainfall," said Sandeep. The snowfall recorded on February 28 was moderate, with the highest accumulation in Kothi (Kullu) at 15 cm. Other areas, including Jot (Chamba), received 4 cm of snowfall. The western disturbance that approached on the night of February 25 impacted the region until late February 27, resulting in heavy precipitation in some areas.