Kullu:

Police rescued around 5,000 tourists stranded at Solang Nala, a ski resort in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu on Friday, amid heavy snowfall in the state.

Kullu police said that a rescue operation was launched on December 27 after about 1,000 vehicles got stranded in Solang Nala.

आज दिनांक 27.12.2024 को हुई ताज़ा बर्फबारी के कारण सोलंग नाला में करीब 1000 पर्यटक व अन्य वाहन फंस गये थे । इन वाहनो मे करीब 5000 पर्यटक थे। वाहन तथा पर्यटको को कुल्लू पुलिस द्वारा रेस्क्यू करके सुरक्षित स्थानों पर पहुंचाया गया है। बचाव अभियान अभी भी जारी है। pic.twitter.com/s8Z7y7l74U

— Kullu Police (@PoliceKullu) December 27, 2024

“Due to fresh snowfall today on 27.12.2024, about 1000 tourists and other vehicles were stuck in Solang Nala. There were about 5000 tourists in these vehicles. The vehicles and tourists have been rescued by Kullu Police and taken to safe places. The rescue operation is still going on,” Kullu police said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall and cold waves will continue to grip Himachal Pradesh, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday.

The IMD issued an orange alert for snowfall and cold waves in the state for December 27 and 28.

Himachal Pradesh has witnessed heavy rainfall and snowfall across six districts, including Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, and Kinnaur.

From December 29 onwards, a renewed cold wave is expected to impact the plains, including Bilaspur, Hamirpur, and Una districts. These areas, along with Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba, are likely to remain under severe cold conditions until January 1.

Dense fog is also expected in isolated locations on January 1, which could further reduce visibility and worsen travel conditions.

Shimla city recorded a temperature of around 5°C on Friday, with a slight rise expected on December 28. However, after December 29, a significant drop in minimum temperatures is likely.

The IMD has advised residents and travellers to remain cautious and take necessary precautions, especially in snow-affected regions, where road blockages and disruptions are expected.

With heavy snowfall and severe cold conditions intensifying, the state is bracing for a challenging weather phase in the coming days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Archaeologists, in collaboration with experts from National Museums Scotland (NMS) and Cardiff University, have revealed the existence of a Neolithic site in Holm on the main Orkney island. Remarkably, despite extensive damage inflicted by Victorian antiquarians more than a century ago, fragments of human bones have been successfully identified. Additionally, the dedicated efforts of local volunteers, in conjunction with students from the University of Central Lancashire, led to the discovery of pottery, stone tools, and a bone pin meticulously carved.

According to The BBC, these ruins are of an “incredibly rare” 5,000-year-old tomb. Despite the damage, the archaeologists have found 14 skeletons of men, women, and children. Archaeologists said the bodies had been carefully set out, and DNA and isotope analysis would show if they were relatives and where they were from.

The news portal further mentioned that the three-week excavation led by Dr Hugo Anderson-Whymark of NMS and Cardiff’s Professor Vicki Cummings has revealed traces of a stone cairn 15m (49ft) in diameter, which had contained a 7 m-long (23ft) passage. The archaeologists said a stone chamber lay at the centre of the cairn, and this was surrounded by six smaller cells.

Dr Anderson-Whymark told The BBC, “This find is extremely exciting. Orkney is exceptionally rich in archaeology, but we never expected to find a tomb of this size in such a small-scale excavation.”

“It’s incredible to think this once impressive monument was nearly lost without record, but fortunately just enough stonework has survived for us to be able to understand the size, form, and construction of this tomb.”