2,000 tourists stranded in Kasol evacuated, says Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Kullu district owing to incessant rainfall have been evacuated safely, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.The Kullu-Manali road was opened Tuesday evening and about 2,200 vehicles crossed Kullu. There was no mobile signal in several areas in Manali and its suburbs for the past two days and the tourists were unable to contact their families, officials said. The Kullu-Manali road was opened on the left bank of Manali, while the road on its south was washed away, a local resident said, adding that a majority of the tourists have left the place.

«Over 2,000 stranded individuals in Kasol have been successfully evacuated as of now. Our teams are working tirelessly to clear the Dunkhara landslide on the Kasol-Bhuntar road. District administration is on-site coordinating relief efforts.

2200+ vehicles have safely passed through Kullu, receiving food support at Ramshilla Chowk. I personally oversee the situation and remain committed to overcoming these challenges. Stay strong, Himachal Pradesh!,» Sukhu said in a tweet.

«The tourist vehicles that were stranded in Lahaul were also evacuated at night. Over 300 tourist vehicles left for their respective destinations,» he added. ASP (Kullu) Ashish Sharma said a check post has been installed where the police are collecting details of the (stranded) people and sharing them on our Facebook page.

Relief materials are also being provided to them, and food and drinking water is being made available at Ramshilla Chowk, he said. A large number of tourists were struck in various parts of Kullu and Lahaul following landslides and flash floods leading to blocking of roads. They were being lodged in hotels, rest houses, home stays and other holiday