Nagender Singh
Shimla, Feb 24
Over five dozen people including tourists were rescued after being trapped in fresh snow in Chamba and Lahaul-Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh today, said a government spokesman late In the evening.
A private bus carrying 45 passengers got stranded since yesterday with accumulated snow on the road blocking the vehicle to move at Jot in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, said a spokesperson of State Disaster Management Authority.
He said that a bus owned by a private player got stuck near Jot due to heavy snowfall with 45 passengers sitting inside.o
The district administration has sent a police team to the spot to rescue passengers.
He said that the district emergency operation centre has informed the matter to police and they are reaching on spot and working under process to clear the road.
A fresh information received from Lahaul and Spiti Administeration said that some vehicles got stranded near Atargu bridge on Kaza-Samdo District Lahul and Spiti.
Around 15 persons aree trapped into the seven vichles all of whom were coming towards Kaza.Their vehicles were stuck as they could not move forward due to skidding road conditions.
Deputy commissioner LS Mr Neeraj Kumar said that police and rescue team were taking prompt action,
under the leadership of Assistant Sub Inspector Chung Ram of Police Station.
In challenging conditions, the police rescue team reached the Atargu bridge in 45 minutes along with the necessary equipment.
The team located seven vehicles and around 15 tourists were trapped in the vehicles. After dedicated efforts by the police rescue team for about two and a half hours, all the vehicles and tourists were safely evacuated from Atargu bridge to Kaza. The vigourous rescue task carried out by Police Station Kaza personnel at subzero temperatures of around minus 15 degrees reaffirms the district police’s commitment towards tourist safety.
The snow prone high regions of Himachal Pradesh have experienced heavy snowfall since the last two days and an advisory had been issued by the state administration to people to avoid traveling in the snowbound areas as extreme weather conditions could cost life.
