Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was stranded in tribal Kinnaur district for nearly 60 hours due to landslides triggered by heavy rain, was air-lifted this morning by a state helicopter. A dozen tourists, including some old and ailing persons, were brought to safety along with the Chief Minister, but 1700 still remain stranded.
"We are trying to evacuate the sick and old persons and tourists on priority," said Bharat Khera, Secretary (General Administration).
The chopper hired by Congress party was able to reach Mr Singh as rains abated and weather cleared, officials said. Kinnaur received 204 mm of rains on Monday, a record in the history of the tribal district.
The 1700 people, including a large number of tourists, have been stranded at various places for the past three days and efforts are on to rescue them.
The Hindustan-Tibet National Highway, leading to the China border along Kinnaur, has been breached and blocked at several points due to massive landslides. The road is unlikely to be opened in the next two-three days and Public Works Department (PWD) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) men are working overtime to clear the road, said an official.