Landslides following heavy rains leave 150 people stranded in Champawat

Dehradun, July 21

Landslides triggered by heavy rains along the Tanakpur-Ghat national highway in Uttarakhand's Champawat district have left around 150 people stranded, an official said on Wednesday.

As traffic remained blocked at Vishramghat on the highway till late Tuesday night, the district administration made arrangements for the stay of the stranded people in Champawat, District Disaster Management Officer Manoj Pandey said.

Landslides occurred at eight points along the highway on Tuesday bringing mounds of debris onto the road. Though the debris was cleared at seven points by Tuesday evening, the rocks and boulders in Vishramghat could not be cleared till midnight despite efforts, Pandey said.

 Efforts to clear the rubble on the road in Vishramghat were resumed on Wednesday morning with the help of earth moving machines and a loader he said.

Some of the stranded people, who were headed for Haldwani, are being sent there via Devidhura, he said. PTI