300 people stranded in Lahaul and Spiti rescued, most roads reopened in Himachal

Twenty-seven stranded people, including nine foreigners, were airlifted to safer places by the Indian Air Force, while the Border Roads Organisation rescued many people, officials said.

Around 300 people stranded in various parts of Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district have been rescued and most of the 600 roads of the state reopened after being blocked following recent snowfall, officials said on Wednesday.

An uprooted tree due to heavy rainfall blocked the road near Law College in Shimla. (Deepak Sansta/HT Photo)

Twenty-seven stranded people, including nine foreigners, were airlifted to safer places by the Indian Air Force, while the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) rescued many people, the officials said.

An official of the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority said most of the 600 roads, including the Chandigarh-Manali road, of the state have been reopened.

He also said about 300 people stranded at various places of Lahaul and Spiti district have been rescued. Around 200 people are still stranded there, the official added.

Keylong sub-divisional magistrate Amar Negi said eight persons, hailing from West Bengal, were airlifted to safer places in Stingri in Lahaul district and Bhuntar in Kullu district on Wednesday by 11 am, while five were airlifted to Stingri on Tuesday evening.

The weather conditions are favourable now and BRO personnel are on their job to clear the roads of debris, he said hoping that most of the roads would be opened by Thursday morning, the SDM said.