A group of 50 trekkers, which included 35 students from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, who went missing on the night of Monday, 24 September, were rescued on Tuesday, ANI reported quoting Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur.
Following the rescue operation, the group was taken to a camp in Sissu area, the report added.
Assuring assistance to the ones who are stranded across the state of Himachal Pradesh, the CM earlier on Tuesday said:
We have requested two choppers for rescue operations. I have spoken to both the Defence and Home Ministers, who have assured us of all possible help.
The rescue operation was undertaken after the group of 50 had gone for trekking to Hampta Pass in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu area and were stranded due to heavy snowfall in the region. It was resolved that the group went missing after they failed to return to Manali, Rajvir Singh, father of one the students from IIT Roorkee told ANI.
Heavy Rains Across North India, Snowfall in Spiti
Meanwhile, incessant rainfall in the north Indian region of Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh has claimed 11 lives. Himachal Pradesh has been the worst affected, with eight people having lost their lives in the state alone.
A red alert was issued in Punjab on Tuesday, which led to shutting of schools and colleges in various regions of the state.
On 24 September, the Lahaul-Spiti district witnessed about 4-feet of snowfall.
Due to this, the Rohtang Pass and inner roads in the area got blocked – as a result nearly 300 people including the group of 50 got stranded, Keylong Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Amar Negi told PTI.
Apart from tourists, several personnel of General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) have also been reportedly stranded at various stations in the district, the SDM said, adding the exact number of stranded people was not clear yet.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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