150 stranded tourists evacuated from Lahaul and Spiti

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 30

As many as 150 stranded tourists were on Friday evacuated from the flood-hit areas of Lahaul and Spiti district, while 168 tourists are still marooned. Four bridges on the Tandi-Udaipur-Killar road were damaged and a few stretches of the road were washed away in flash floods three days ago. As a result, traffic was blocked and tourists were stranded at Triloknath, Udaipur and Thirot in the district.

Inclement weather impacted the rescue operation in Lahaul and Spiti today. The district administration could not engage a helicopter to evacuate the stranded tourists out of the valley due to the bad weather. Even Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur could not visit flood-affected Lahaul and Spiti to meet the affected people.

Lahaul and Spiti Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said 150 tourists were evacuated from Udaipur with the help of a temporary bridge at Shansha on the Keylong-Udaipur road. He said the Shansha bridge was damaged in the flash flood. Around 168 people are still stranded at different locations in Lahaul and Spiti, he added.

“Technical Education Minister Ram Lal Markanda today supervised the evacuation operation which lasted till noon. The operation was carried out by a joint team of police, Home Guard jawans and firefighters led by Keylong DSP Hemant Kumar,” the Deputy Commissioner said.

He said the damaged roads and bridges in the district were being restored. He added that if the weather remains favourable, the district administration would evacuate the remaining stranded people with the help of the helicopter service.

The Deputy Commissioner said the government had made all arrangements to evacuate people. He added that a helicopter was present at the Annadale helipad in Shimla and as soon as clouds get cleared over the Rohtang Pass and the weather becomes favorable for flight, tourists and other stranded people would be rescued on priority.