National News

Hundreds of People Trapped by Heavy Snow Rescued From Leh

Police started the rescue effort on Friday night because of the large number of visitors, and local people needed help.

Sentinel Digital Desk

LEH: Officials reported that police saved hundreds of travellers from the perilous Changla Axis, including women and children, who were trapped due to heavy snowfall.

Police said they started the rescue effort on Friday night because of the large number of visitors and local people who needed help.

Along with the Ladakh Police's UTDRF rescue squad, the Army and GREEF rescue teams actively participated in the rescue effort. All of the passengers were successfully evacuated to Leh thanks to their combined efforts, according to authorities.

The two days of persistent, intermittent snowfall made slick and treacherous the road conditions, necessitating the rescue mission.

At Changla Top, a number of vehicles, including taxis and private cars, particularly those occupied by tourists, became immobile.

The police team from Kharu and Tangste police posts hurriedly rushed to Changla Top in response to the emergencies brought on by the bad weather and sporadic snowfall, which were made worse by icy road conditions. Their main goal was to rescue and evacuate the stranded passengers, with a focus on women, children, and tourists in particular.

"Those with self-driven cars were transferred to police vehicles and local taxis, which transported them to safer areas. Private vehicles were also safely driven to secure locations with the assistance of local drivers," police said.

The police claim that the rescue teams used police cars, local taxis, and privately owned cars operated by local drivers to move individuals to safer areas. This was essential since it put the tourists' safety at risk to drive on snow-covered roads.

Tourists and kids who were having medical issues received priority from the rescue services, and they made sure they were evacuated quickly to Leh. The police have asked travellers to heed weather forecasts and make travel plans in accordance with them in order to make their trip safer and more enjoyable in light of the huge increase in tourists in Leh.

Additionally, visitors and kids with medical issues received preferential treatment, resulting in their prompt evacuation to Leh.

Tourists and the general public were asked by the Ladakh Police to abide by weather advisories and make travel plans appropriately in order to ensure safer journeys.

Leh's roadways are coated in several inches of snow due to the recent, heavy snowfall. Driving a car on slick roads has become perilous.

Intermittent snowfall over the previous two days has caused the Changla Axis in Ladakh to become icy and slick. Because of the extensive amount of snow on the road at the Changla Top, several cars, including taxis and private cars, became stuck there and some passengers ended up being trapped.

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