40 stranded tourists airlifted in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA - At least 40 tourists, including 24 foreigners, who were stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district for the past five days, were airlifted Friday, an official said.

Incessant rainfall in the region had triggered massive landslides that blocked the road leading to the picturesque Sangla Valley.

“Sixteen Indian tourists from West Bengal and 24 foreigners from Germany, France, Brazil and Holland were airlifted in three sorties by the state-run chopper,” Deputy Commissioner Mamta Chaudhary told IANS.

The Indian tourists were airlifted to Shimla, while the rest were taken to Reckong Peo, the district headquarters town.

Chaudhary said 35 Indian tourists are still stranded in Sangla village, still cut off from the rest of the country.

“Rest of the tourists would be airlifted tomorrow (Saturday),” she added.

On restoring road connectivity to the village, she said it was likely to be reopened Saturday.

The picturesque Sangla Valley - which remains cut off from the rest of the country for more than six months a year owing to heavy snowfall - is some 275 km from state capital Shimla.