Flash flood blocks Manali-Leh Highway for hours, traffic restored after BRO clears debris
Shashi Bhushan Purohit
Keylong (Himachal Pradesh), June 30: The Manali-Leh National Highway remained closed for several hours on Tuesday after a flash flood in a stream near Jispa, triggered by heavy rainfall in Lahaul Valley, disrupted traffic and stranded hundreds of vehicles.
According to officials, a sudden surge in water and debris from the overflowing stream swept onto the highway, bringing vehicular movement to a complete halt. Long queues of tourist vehicles, trucks and other commuters formed on both sides of the road.
Following the incident, teams of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) rushed to the site with heavy machinery and launched an operation to remove the accumulated debris from the highway. After several hours of clearance work, the road was partially reopened, allowing stranded vehicles to pass in a phased manner.
Authorities said water levels in streams across the Lahaul-Spiti region have risen significantly in recent days, increasing the risk of flash floods and weather-related disruptions.
The district administration has advised travellers to check weather forecasts and road conditions before undertaking journeys in the region. People have also been urged to avoid crossing overflowing streams and to stay away from landslide-prone areas during periods of heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued rainfall over the state's mountainous regions, prompting authorities and disaster management agencies to intensify monitoring in vulnerable areas and issue precautionary advisories to travellers.