Landslides, cloudbursts kill 10 in Uttarakhand

Ten people were killed and 38 others went missing as incessant rain battered north Indian state of Uttarakhand on Saturday triggering landslides, cloudbursts and flash floods which flattened homes and stranded hundreds of people.

The Garhwal region bore the brunt of the natural calamity.

The state government has sounded a high alert and has sought the help of the army.

Nineteen labourers of the state-run UJVN Ltd’s Assi Ganga hydel project went missing following a cloud burst in the upper hills of Uttarkashi district. Similarly, 19 people also went missing from Gangori, Dunda, Uttarkashi town and Barkot areas in the district. Elsewhere in the state, 10 people were killed in different incidents following heavy rains during the past 24 hours, said sources in the Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre.

In the disaster-prone Uttarkashi district, flash floods hit several low-lying areas creating havoc there.

At least three men of the fire brigade department and two others were killed at Gangori area even as Chardham yatra to Gangotri and Yamunotri remained suspended.

In Gangori area of Uttarkashi, Bhagirathi is flowing above the danger level with people being evacuated to safer areas.

Nearly 30 homes were washed away in the floods with the Gangori bridge also collapsing.

Two more people were killed in Dunda area of Uttarkashi district.

While two children were killed in a house collapse at Kararnprayag area of Chamoli district early on Saturday, another child was washed away in flash floods at Pokhri area of the district where landslides continue to block highways leading to Badrinath.

Meanwhile, continuing heavy rains in the mountains of Uttarakhand and Nepal have flooded the major rivers of eastern Uttar Pradesh Ghaghra, Rapti and Saryu, threatening to submerge hundreds of villages.

Thursday 16 August 2012

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