M A I N   N E W S

400 trapped tourists in Leh rescued
Yangchan Dolma/TNS

Leh, June 9
All the tourists and labourers, stranded at Khardungla, Nubra, in Leh district, were rescued late last night. According to a police official, as many as 400 tourists, including women and children, and 42 labourers had been stranded at the pass for almost six hours due to snowslides in avalanche-prone areas on a 10 km stretch between South Pullu-Khardungla-North Pullu, 45 km from Leh, following bad weather. Most of the tourists were returning from Nubra after their visit.

Khardungla, which is a gateway to Nubra valley and Siachen glacier, is a famous tourist spot as it is known as the world’s highest motorable road.

Sonam Rigzin, SHO, Leh, said, “The rescue operation that started at 7 pm on Friday lasted till 3 am this morning. It was jointly conducted by the district police, administration and the Border Road Organisation (BRO).”

He added that as soon as the message of stranded tourists was received from the police post at the top of the pass, teams rushed to rescue them along with ambulances, medical team, blankets, foods and two buses of the police department.

The stranded people were provided shelter, warm clothing, food and medical aid. Over 120 tourists suffering from acute mountain sickness were administered oxygen.

The SHO said that two buses carrying labourers of the BRO were stranded in the middle of the narrow road which had become slippery due to bad weather. As a result, other light vehicles also could not use the road.

Khardungla, which is witnessing a heavy rush of tourists these days, was reopened this afternoon.

All the 150 vehicles, including tourists’ taxis, that had been stuck because of the closure of the pass have reached Leh.

(With inputs from Sonika Raina in Jammu)

Stuck at KhardunGLA

• The tourists and labourers had been stuck for almost 6 hours due to snowslides at 10 avalanche-prone areas near the pass
• The pass, closed due to heavy snowfall, was reopened on Saturday afternoon
• All the 150 vehicles that had been held up at the pass have reached Leh