Lahaul-Spiti landslide blocks river flow in Himachal Pradesh

Lahaul-Spiti deputy commissioner Neeraj Kumar said a portion of a hill caved in at around 9.30am and completely blocked the river flow in the area with a population of around 2,000

A landslide blocked the flow of the Chandrabhaga River on Friday and led to the formation of a lake that poses a threat to the human habitations and agricultural fields near Jasrath village in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti, an official said.

A portion of a hill caved in at around 9.30am and completely blocked the river flow in the area on Friday, August 13. (Source:State Disaster Management Authority)

Lahaul-Spiti deputy commissioner Neeraj Kumar said a portion of a hill caved in at around 9.30am and completely blocked the river flow in the area with a population of around 2,000. He added they have sought a team of experts to take stock of the situation and suggest a strategy to deal with it. “Also, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been requested to carry out an aerial survey and devise the plan to clear the blockage,” said Kumar.

Landslides and cloudbursts triggered flooding in the region and left seven people dead and three missing on July 27. Two Border Roads Organisation officials also died while rescuing hundreds of tourists stuck in the region.

At least 16 people were killed days later when a landslide buried at least five vehicles, including two buses, on a road in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district on Wednesday afternoon.