22 Killed, Many Missing After Cloudbursts Trigger Landslides In Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: At least 22 people have died and many are missing after heavy rain triggered cloudbursts and landslides in Uttarakhand, bringing back memories of the deadly floods which killed nearly 6,000 people three years ago.

Here are the top ten developments in this story:

In Pithoragarh district, 11 people including 3 children have lost their lives. Many are feared missing around the Didihat area where six houses caved in due to heavy rain and mudslide late last night.Several people are also reportedly missing and trapped.

Four people were washed away in flash floods in Chamoli district early this morning. In Haridwar, the Ganga River is flowing just two metres below the danger level.

Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF, along with the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been called in for rescue efforts.

“Heavy rains caused landslides last night. Our teams are facing difficulty in rescue work due to blocked roads and low visibility,” OP Singh, Director General of the NDRF told NDTV.

Connectivity to the affected area has been severed, a senior cop supervising the rescue operations said. “The information we have got from a local there is that the situation is very grim. Disaster response teams have left from Almora and Dharchula to assist in relief and rescue in the region,” he said.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat said he was “personally monitoring the situation” and also announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each to families of victims.

“I am grieved by the loss of lives caused due to cloudburst and heavy rain in parts of Uttarakhand. Condolences to bereaved families,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

The Met department had issued a 72-hour warning from late last night for incessant rainfall in the region including 7 hill-districts of Garhwal and Kumaon Region.

The administration is working on war-footing to clear landslides and road blocks. Emergency ration has been stored in large quantities at district headquarters.

In June 2013, nearly 6,000 people, including pilgrims and tourists, were killed by floods and landslides in the state, destroying hundreds of villages and towns in one of the country’s worst natural disasters.

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Source:Ndtv