Troubles in Ladakh

We just got back from Ladakh last Friday. We were hiking in the mountains and got out just in time. The rains were significant and we had our Delhi flight canceled on Thursday. We know many others that missed their flights after that. Many hikers had to be rescued (see below). The Manili road was washed out in 5 or 6 places. Very unusual weather.

Army evacuates 500 from flood-hit Ladakh
[ 6 Aug, 2006 1359hrs ISTPTI ]


LEH (J&K): With the flood situation in Ladakh turning grim, the army has stepped up rescue efforts evacuating over 500 people from several submerged areas of Leh and Kargil district.

The army has been put on a red alert in the region where incessant rains and flash floods have left seven persons dead and hit 20 villages.

"We have launched a major relief and rescue operation in Leh and Kargil district of frontier Ladakh region as the flood situation has become very grim. We have rescued 500 people from submerged area till now," top army officials said.

Rains since the past one week have triggered flash floods in the Ladakh region with Diskit located at the base of Siachen glacier in Kargil sector the most affected, they said.

Five hundred people have been taken to safer areas and food and other essential items provided to them since Saturday evening.

Army is trying to reach out to people in all effected places and for this operation, army has deployed 300 jawans and officers and set-up five tented village camps, they said.

Army has also pressed in four columns of engineers for setting up temporary bridges and communication facilities to help people caught in submerged areas, they said.

Nearly 20 villagers have been hit due to flash floods and 22 bridges have broken. Seven persons, including three army jawans, two army porters in Batalik area of Kargil and two children in Leh have been killed due to the floods.

This is indeed unusual for the region (who would have thought - floods up there??)

Thanks for writing with news and glad you are safe.

Here is a description of our trip and photos. http://85021.com/Adventure/Ladakh.htm