SHIMLA: Witnessing untimely and heavy snowfall for the past few days, the tribal areas of Lahaul-Spiti and Pangi regions have been cut off from the rest of Himachal Pradesh , leaving several people stranded in difficult terrains.While crops, including apple, have been damaged in the snow, communication lines and electricity supply have been down for the past three days.Many people, including tourists, are feared to be stranded between Gramphu and Kaza stretch in Lahaul-Spiti district. The Lahaul-Spiti administration is also worried about the safety of nine researchers who had gone to study the Gangsten glacier located right above Keylong town. All the contact has been lost due to missing mobile and internet connectivity.Sources said the contact with five employees of Indian Institute of Technology, Kamand, in Mandi, who had gone to Chandertal lake in Lahaul-Spiti district, has been lost.Minister for agriculture and tribal development Dr Ram Lal Markanda , who is also Lahaul-Spiti MLA, said there had been extensive damage to standing crops, including apple.He said BSNL has been asked to restore the communication system at the earliest, while the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been asked to clear the roads.He said about 150 people, stranded at Keylong, have been rescued safely. He said a 26-member team of police, BRO, Army, ITBP and district officials have been sent to Kunzum pass to know the exact details of stranded people along the Gramphu-Kaza Road.

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