A large avalanche occurred in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, causing widespread panic in the area. The avalanche came to a stop approximately 200 meters short of an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp located in the village of Gyu. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Shimla: A large avalanche in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh has caused widespread fear. The avalanche stopped 200 meters short of an ITBP camp in Gyu village. Had the avalanche progressed further, a major disaster could have occurred.
How did the avalanche occur?
On Saturday afternoon, ITBP personnel were clearing snow from a road when a large section of ice rapidly broke away and slid down the mountain. The avalanche was so intense that a white cloud of snow filled the area. The personnel took shelter and were able to escape unharmed. Numerous avalanches have occurred in Lahaul-Spiti in recent days. On Saturday, a large mass of ice fell in Jobrang in the Lahaul valley, blocking the Chandrabhaga river and creating a large lake. This lake submerged the Jobrang bridge.
A smaller avalanche also occurred near the Rohtang tunnel, causing no significant damage. Recently, 4 to 5 feet of new snow has fallen in the area, leading to an increase in avalanche incidents. A major avalanche also occurred in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. An avalanche struck a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp, trapping 54 workers. After a 60-hour rescue operation, 46 workers were rescued, but 8 unfortunately died.
