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Traffic on the Manali-Leh Highway was restored around midnight near Jahalma Nallah in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) completed restoration work, police said on Tuesday.
The highway had been closed after a flash flood struck the Jispa area, while connectivity to several villages was disrupted after the swelling Jhalma Nallah washed away a portion of the road. Earlier on Monday afternoon, a sudden surge in water flow triggered a flash flood-like situation in Jhalma Nallah, washing away a section of the Manali-Leh Highway and leaving more than 50 tourist vehicles stranded. The incident was caused by a sudden increase in glacier meltwater, even though no rainfall was reported in the area, officials said. Lahaul-Spiti Superintendent of Police Shivani Mehla said that over 50 vehicles of tourists were stranded after the road was damaged by the swollen nallah. She said restoration work on the damaged stretch was underway and was expected to be completed within the next two hours. Once the road was restored, all stranded tourists would be safely evacuated. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), along with the local administration, has been engaged in emergency restoration work, and officials expressed confidence that connectivity would be re-established at the earliest. The flash flood-like incident occurred on Monday afternoon, disrupting traffic and temporarily cutting off road access in the area. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, while no casualties or injuries have been reported so far. (ANI)
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