Sandakphu, West Bengal's highest Himalayan destination renowned for its breathtaking views of the Kanchenjunga and Everest, found itself in the grip of heavy snowfall, leaving around 37 tourists stranded in various accommodations, according to a Darjeeling district official on Friday.
The arterial road connecting Sandakphu with Manebhanjan on the way to Darjeeling town was under about a foot of snow at some places, disrupting traffic movement.
The hamlet, which offers a stunning view of the Kanchenjunga, the Everest and some other peaks in the Himalayas, is a favourite spot among adventure-loving tourists visiting the Darjeeling hills.
"A total of 37 tourists got stranded at various homestays and hotels in Sandakphu due to the snowfall over the last few days. They wanted to return and the administration and the police brought them back on Thursday," District Magistrate Dr Preeti Goyal said over phone.
She said that the snowfall was continuing on Friday as well and the whole area was under a thick blanket of snow.
The hamlet, which offers a stunning view of the Kanchenjunga, the Everest and some other peaks in the Himalayas, is a favourite spot among adventure-loving tourists visiting the Darjeeling hills.
As the snowfall persisted on Friday, the entire region remained blanketed under a thick layer of snow, rendering it a serene yet challenging landscape.
Meanwhile, Darjeeling town, referred to as the 'queen of the hills', recorded a significant rainfall of 31.2 mm within a 24-hour period until 8.30 am on Friday.
The minimum temperature in the area settled at 5.6 degrees Celsius, as reported by the Meteorological Department.
Looking ahead, the Met department has forecast light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning for the next five days across the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar.
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