Traffic on the Manali-Leh Highway was restored around midnight after a flash flood-like situation triggered by glacier melt washed away a section of the road near Jhalma Nallah in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district, officials said.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon when a sudden surge in glacier meltwater caused Jhalma Nallah to swell, washing away part of the highway and leaving more than 50 tourist vehicles stranded. Officials said there was no rainfall in the area, and the flooding was caused by a sharp increase in glacier meltwater.
Lahaul-Spiti Superintendent of Police Shivani Mehla said the damaged road temporarily cut off connectivity, stranding tourists on both sides of the affected stretch.
Soon after the incident, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the local administration launched restoration work. Teams worked through the evening to repair the damaged road and restore traffic at the earliest.
The highway was reopened around midnight after the BRO completed the repair work, allowing stranded vehicles to move. Police said all tourists were safely evacuated once the road became motorable.
The flash flood also disrupted connectivity to a few nearby villages for several hours. Authorities kept a close watch on the situation throughout the operation.
Officials said no casualties or injuries were reported. They have advised travellers to remain cautious while travelling through the region, as glacier-fed streams can witness sudden surges in water flow during the summer months.
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