Malayalam actress, crew of 30 stranded in Himachal, minister steps in

Mangalore Today News Network

Himachal Pradesh, Aug 20, 2019 : Popular Malayalam film actress Manju Warrier along with a film crew is stranded in flood-hit Himachal Pradesh prompting a union minister to intervene in the matter HT reported.

The 30-member crew is stuck in Chatra, 100 km from Manali. They have been there for the past three weeks shooting for a film by director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, reports mathrubhumi.com.

The actress was able to contact union minister V Muraleedharan seeking help, who in turn has reached out to Himachal Pradesh chief minister and sought immediate help. “Spoke to Himachal Pradesh CM on Malayalam film crew stuck in Chatru. Mandi district administration is in touch with stranded crew members. Evacuation efforts are on to bring them back to Manali today,” the minister of state for external and parliamentary affairs said.

Himachal Pradesh has been lashed by incessant rains past few weeks, killing more than 30 people, and many areas are cut off due to landslides and bridge collapse.

Hundreds of tourists are stranded in the state’s tribal Lahaul and Spiti district after a freak snowfall on Sunday cut off roads in the region, officials said. They said rescue work was on.

According to officials, about 150 tourists were stuck in Chandra Tal lake near Kaza town. The crescent-shaped lake is situated at an altitude of about 4,300 metres or 14,100ft in the Himalayas.

The worst affected is the Miyar valley which was cut off due to landslides at several places on the roads leading to the region. More than 300 vehicles were also stranded on the Spiti-Leh road after flash floods in nullahs triggered landslides.