Cloudburst triggers flash floods in Lahaul-Spiti; highway blocked, traffic brought to standstill
PTC News Desk: A cloudburst near Jispa in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district triggered a flash flood, completely blocking the highway and disrupting traffic in the area.
Following instructions from Superintendent of Police Shivani Mehla, Lahaul-Spiti Police, along with police teams from Ladakh and Zanskar, has stopped all vehicles from travelling towards the affected stretch until further notice to ensure public safety.
"A cloudburst near Jispa this afternoon has completely blocked the road, resulting in a massive traffic congestion in the area. Keeping public safety as our top priority, Lahaul-Spiti Police, in coordination with Ladakh and Zanskar Police, has stopped all onward traffic until tomorrow morning," SP Mehla said.
The cloudburst has been due to glacial snow melting, as there has been no rain in the region, and this is the second flash flood in two consecutive days.
Authorities have advised tourists, local residents and other travellers not to head towards Jispa until the road is cleared and traffic resumes. People have been asked to stay in safe locations and follow updates and advisories issued by the police and district administration.
Officials are closely monitoring the situation, and road-clearing work will begin once conditions become safe. Further information will be shared as the restoration work progresses.
- With inputs from agencies
