IAF chopper rescues 19 stranded in Kullu; Chandigarh-Manali NH closed

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, September 23

Nineteen persons, including two women, were stranded at Dobhi Bihal in Kullu district on Sunday after the water level in the Beas river rose abnormally, touching the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway 21, owing to incessant rains. The persons trapped in the river were airlifted to Bhuntar by an Indian Air Force chopper.

On Monday, the Chandigarh-Manali highway NH-21 has been closed since Sunday as the Beas flooded the road at Dwada in Mandi district.

The Beas is flowing above the danger mark and there is no decrease in the water level of the Beas. The traffic has come to a standstill on this road.

The district administration diverted small vehicles via Katola between Mandi and Kullu as this road is fit only for small vehicles. In Kullu district, two people, who were trapped in the flood site on Sunday, were airlifted in the morning.

In Shimla district, the Theog-Hatkoti road is blocked at Poltidhar, Barvi in Jubbal valley while landslips and trees have fallen on road bringing all movement of vehicles to a standstill since Sunday night.

The Chopal road was also blocked bear Deha due to the landslide but it was open to traffic on Monday.

The link roads in the tehsil were breached due to landslips.

Machinery has been deployed to clear the road, said PWD executive engineer Rajesh Jaswal.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Yunus Khan said most of the stranded persons were from Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. The rising water level in the Fozal Nullah having washed away the sidewalls of Dwara bridge,   traffic on the Kullu-Manali road had been halted. However, small vehicles were being allowed via the left bank. 

Traffic near the Bhuntar bailey bridge too had come to a stop, the DC said. 

Also, 30 persons stranded at Rohtang Pass because of heavy snowfall and some at a camping site in Raison were rescued. They were brought to Manali in a General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) vehicle with the help of Col AK Awasthi and the Kullu DC.

Gushing Beas waters reportedly entered a truck union office at Bashing, 4 km from here, washing away two vehicles. The newly built helipad at Bahang near Manali was damaged too.

With various rivers and rivulets in the district in spate, the administration has issued an alert. All educational institutions in Kullu will remain closed on September 24. Flights from the Bhuntar airport have been cancelled.

Alert in several parts of Himachal

• All schools in Kinnaur, Kangra and Solan districts have been closed in view of the rains
• Several roads in Kinnaur and Chamba districts have been blocked by landslides
• With water being released from Chamera dam, the SDM has warned people not to go near the Ravi and nullahs
• In Kangra, Larji dam gates are being opened and if situation persists, shutters of Pandoh dam may be opened
• Naina Devi in Bilaspur was the wettest with 178.2 mm of rain. Sarkaghat in Mandi recorded 137 mm, Mehre 132.6 mm, Manali 127.4, Dharamsala 125.2 and Kasauli 105 mm