Several flashflood incidents triggered by a sudden surge in water levels have brought traffic to a standstill across major road stretches in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul-Spiti district.
According to the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Lahaul and Spiti, three crucial routes — Losar–Kunzum road (NH-505), Darcha–Shinkula road, and the Manali–Leh highway (NH-03) — have been blocked, leaving many vehicles stranded and movement completely halted.
The District Police Control Room (DPCR) in Keylong said a flashflood in a nullah, about 2 km from Losar, has blocked the NH-505 route. Several vehicles are stuck at the site. The agency responsible for road maintenance has been informed and is expected to begin clearance operations shortly.
Meanwhile, a section of the Darcha–Shinkula road, around 9 km before Zanskar-Sumdo, has been washed away due to a sudden rise in water level in a nullah. This road is a key route to Shinkula Pass and has become inaccessible. Officials from the Border Roads Organisation’s 126 RCC confirmed that repair work will begin only after the water level drops and conditions are safe for machinery and workers.
The Manali–Leh NH-03 also took a hit and got blocked near Zingzingbar due to another flashflood. Restoration work has started to reopen the route as soon as possible.
The Lahaul and Spiti DDMA has urged tourists, locals, and transporters to stay away from the affected areas until roads are cleared and declared safe. These back-to-back flashfloods have once again exposed the fragile nature of Himalayan highways to unpredictable weather changes and underlined the need for better disaster preparedness in high-altitude terrain. The authorities are keeping a close watch and further updates are awaited.
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