At least 11 persons were killed and 17 went missing when heavy rain triggered landslips and flash floods in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts on Friday.
Several people were buried in sleep, under the debris of collapsing houses, when disaster struck in the early hours.
After the deluge, eight bodies were recovered from Pithoragarh’s Didihat and Thal tehsil, where at least 12 families were affected.
While three persons who were severely injured were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital in Pithoragarh by helicopter, 11 persons in the district were missing till Friday night.
According to the State disaster management department, three persons died in the heavy rain and landslips in Chamoli district, and six had gone missing.
Meanwhile, the Dehradun Meteorological Centre has issued an alert for heavy rainfall for 72 hours. “We have issued a warning for areas in Dehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Almora, Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar district since there is possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall over 72 hours [starting Friday morning],” Dehradun Meteorological Centre Director Bikram Singh said.
Within the 72-hour alert period, there could be heavy rainfall in isolated areas across the State as well, Mr Singh said. Due to the alert, people residing in areas in the vicinity of rivers have been asked by the respective district administration to shift to safer places.
Teams of the NDRF, the ITBP, the State Disaster Response Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal, the State Disaster Management Department and the Revenue Department were sent to the affected areas in Pithoragarh and Chamoli to undertake rescue and relief operations, Additional Secretary (Disaster Management) C. Ravishankar said.
Bad weather and damaged roads delayed the rescue operations in Pithoragarh, where the district administration could only reach by the evening. However, in the absence of the needed assistance, the locals undertook the rescue work.
Chief Minister Harish Rawat said, “Instances of landslips caused by heavy rains are increasing day by day. It is an issue that is of great concern.”
