Chamoli flashfloods: Labourers rescued before their 15 tents washed away

According to district disaster management officer Nandkishor Joshi, the incident occurred at around 5.30am while the labourers were still in their tents. “Due to heavy rains, the water level in the local stream flowing near the tents rose. Hearing the gushing sound of water, alert villagers living nearby rescued the labourers

Flashfloods in a local water stream swept away about 15 tents of labourers of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Narainbagar area of Chamoli district, 240 kms from Dehradun in the early hours on Monday.

A team of ITBP, SDRF, NDRF clears logs from the lake as the rescue operation continues in Chamoli earlier in February. (File photo)

However, the labourers and their families had already been rescued by the villagers so there was no loss of life, said officials.

According to district disaster management officer Nandkishor Joshi, the incident occurred at around 5.30am while the labourers were still in their tents. “Due to heavy rains, the water level in the local stream flowing near the tents rose. Hearing the gushing sound of water, alert villagers living nearby rescued the labourers before the tents were swept away by the flashflood,” he said.

“No life was lost but the Karnprayag-Gwaldam road is blocked by the debris brought by the flashflood. Efforts are on to clear it for traffic,” said Joshi.

The Dehradun Centre of India Meteorological Department had issued a warning of heavy rains on Monday in Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal, Nainital, Almora and Pithoragarh districts with intense spells in some isolated places.