'From Manali the highway is closed near the Kunzum Pass (4,551 meters). From Kinnaur it is closed near Nako. Work is on to clear the landslides,' he said.

The picturesque Spiti Valley in Lahaul and Spiti district is a tourist haunt.

The trans-Himalayan Buddhist-dominated district has a rich treasure of monasteries. It attracts globe-trotters not only for nature-based activities but also for exploring ancient monasteries like Tabo, which is over 1,000 years old.

The entire district, populated mainly by tribals, remains cut off from the rest of India for more than six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. Much of the valley is part of a cold desert.