Himachal landslide traps 200 tourists, causes 15-kilometer traffic jam and hotel shortage

Mandi (HP), June 26: A lengthy traffic jam spanning from Nerchowk to Mandi occurred on the Chandigarh-Manali highway on Monday due to road blockage between Mandi and Pandoh in Mandi district.

The highway has been impassable since Sunday evening as landslides occurred at multiple locations between Mandi and Pandoh, bringing traffic to a halt.

Numerous tourists heading towards Kullu-Manali from Mandi or traveling to Mandi from the Kullu side faced inconvenience as they had to spend the night in their vehicles.

#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Operation underway to clear landslide debris on Chandigarh-Manali highway near 7 Mile in Mandi. https://t.co/OcuKQCVhcD pic.twitter.com/1m92KxiSOh — ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2023

To alleviate the situation, the police redirected the movement of light vehicles via the Chailchowk-Pandoh route between Mandi and Kullu. However, heavy vehicles remain stranded on the highway. Additional Superintendent of Police Sagar Chander stated that restoration work is currently underway, and the road is expected to reopen for traffic in the afternoon.

Live updates: Monsoon in North India, heavy rains in Himachal, J-K trigger landslides

Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/0jgj3azVzn'#Monsoon #LANDSLIDE #HimachalPradesh #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/1EPKzAhrLM — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) June 26, 2023

He further advised travelers that the road between Mandi and Kullu via Kataula is also blocked, urging them to utilise the Chailchowk-Pandoh route for travel between Mandi and Kullu.

Also Read: Assam Floods: Improving situation, but thousands still affected in 15 districts

Heavy rainfall causes damage and road blockages in Mandi district

Mandi district experienced another day of heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread havoc. Various parts of the district witnessed damage to roads, cowsheds, houses, and vehicles. The torrential downpour led to landslides, blocking a total of 32 roads across the district.

The Mandi-Pathankot highway remained inaccessible for nearly four hours as a flash flood occurred in the Swad nullah near Ghatasni. Similarly, the Mandi-Kullu road was blocked near Kamand, and the Chandigarh-Manali highway faced blockage near Aut in Mandi.

In the Seraj area, three vehicles were swept away by a sudden flood. One individual found himself stranded for approximately three hours in his flooded agricultural field at Nagchala. He managed to contact his family, prompting villagers and Fire Brigade personnel to conduct a successful rescue operation to bring him to safety.

Reports indicate that a house was damaged in the Jogindernagar subdivision, while a landslide caused destruction to a community building in the Sadar block. Additionally, extensive flooding in the Balh valley submerged a significant portion of agricultural land, resulting in damage to the tomato crop.

Fortunately, there were no reports of loss of life due to landslides or flash floods in the district, as confirmed by the Mandi District Collector. The authorities continue to monitor the situation and work on clearing the blocked roads to restore normalcy in the affected areas.

Also Read: Ganjam bus accident: 12 lives lost and several injured in tragic collision

- With inputs from agencies

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