300 tourists stranded in Lahaul

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 24

Over 300 tourists were stranded in the tribal district of Lahaul Spiti because of sudden snowfall since Saturday. 

The district administration was facing difficulty in leading rescue operation because of the heavy snowfall.

According to sources, 120 people were stranded at Koksar, 40 at Darcha, 50 on the Sarchu- Zingzingbar on the Manali-Leh highway, 50 at Chandertal Lake and Chhatru and five teaching faculty members of Indian Institute of Technology Mandi in Lahaul Spiti who were on a trip in the region. It was stated that a few foreigners were stranded at Zingzingbar. No connection with them could be established due to poor communication system.

Vikram Singh Negi, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kaza along with his team set for an operation towards Chandertal Lake in the morning to rescue the stranded tourists but bad weather hampered the operation forcing the team to return back.

Talking to The Tribune over phone, the Additional Deputy Commissioner said, “It was snowing heavily in the area since morning, which forced us to return back. We had moved from Losar toward Chandertal Lake from the Kaza side. We had hardly covered five kilometer when the weather turned hostile. There was two feet above snow in the ground. Finally, having no other option, we moved back.”

“There was no clue about stranded people as locals who run camping sites and their clients were trapped at Chandertal Lake, the scenic place in Lahaul Spiti. We hope that they all are safe. We will start rescue operation tomorrow if weather improves,” he added.

There were reports that in Lahaul valley Amar Singh, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Keylong, was trapped on Monday in snow avalanche at Billing Nullah, when he was moving along with his team to lead a rescue operation for stranded people. He was later rescued.

There has been complete blackout of power supply and telecommunication service in Lahaul valley since Saturday as fresh snowfall has damaged power transmission lines at several places. 

According to Rajesh Kumar, Superintendent Engineer of Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board, Kullu, there was no connection with the department officials in Lahaul Spiti and entire Lahaul valley had been engulfed in darkness.

Ashok Rana, a resident of the district, said it was after 1955 that Lahaul valley had received such a heavy snowfall in September. 

He said life had come to a standstill in the district as all routes of valley had been closed because of heavy snowfall.  The power supply and telecommunication service have been completely disrupted. Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul, has been blocked for vehicular activity because of heavy snowfall, which cut off the entire district from the rest of the state. The famers of district are in a state of trauma as sudden snowfall has damaged their crops. 

Heavy snowfall has damaged apple orchards at several places.

When tried to contact over the phone, Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul Spiti, was not reachable because of the poor telecommunication service.

‘Heaviest snowfall since 1955 in Sept’

• Ashok Rana, a resident of the district, said the Lahaul valley had witnessed such a heavy snowfall in the month of September after 1955
• Life came to a standstill in the district as all routes of valley had been closed because of heavy snowfall
• The power supply and telecommunication services have been completely disrupted
• Rohtang Pass, gateway to Lahaul, has been blocked for vehicular traffic because of heavy snowfall, which has cut off the entire district from the rest of the state