175 tourists stuck in Lahaul-Spiti after cloudburst, landslides

Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has sought helicopter support from the state government for their evacuation, a district spokesperson said. Their evacuation through road seems difficult as the route via Pangi is not expected to be ready by Friday evening, he said.

As many as 175 tourists are stranded in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti following a cloudburst and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall, a senior disaster management official said on Thursday. Deputy Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has sought helicopter support from the state government for their evacuation, a district spokesperson said. State Disaster Management Director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said among the 175 stranded in the Pattan valley of Udaipur are 60 women and 16 children. Their evacuation through road seems difficult as the route via Pangi is not expected to be ready by Friday evening, he said.