Lahaul Spiti: 300 people, including 45 IIT students rescued

After rains lashed parts of Himachal Pradesh triggering flash floods and landslides, around 300 people, including 45 IIT Roorkee students had gone missing in Lahaul-Spiti district. Now a government official on Tuesday said they all are safe.

Keylong Sub Divisional Magistrate Amar Negi said two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters have been sought from the state government for rescuing the stranded people and all the people, including the 45 students, who got stuck due to bad weather and snowfall are safe.

The stranded people were being provided shelter and food by the district administration.

The Lahaul and Spiti district witnessed about four feet snowfall till Monday, as a result the Rohtang Pass and several inner roads blocked, Negi added.

Meanwhile, schools in the state remained closed on Tuesday due to heavy rains. At least eight people have been killed in rain-related incidents in the state in the last two days.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Tuesday said light to moderate rains might occur at some places.

There is no chance of heavy rainfall in any part of the state on Tuesday, Director, Meteorological Centre Shimla, Manmohan Singh said. The weather will be dry from September 26 onwards in the state, he added.

Keylong, the administrative centre of tribal Lahaul and Spiti district, continued to be the coldest area in the state with lowest temperature of 0.2 degrees Celsius.