Heavy rains leave 3 dead, many houses damaged in Uttarakhand districts

According to SDRF, in Uttarkashi, three people including a mother-daughter duo died after they got trapped under heavy muck in Mandav village in the early hours

At least three people, including a three-year-old girl, were killed as heavy rains lashed Uttarkashi and Tehri Garhwal districts of Uttarakhand in the early hours of Monday.

SDRF personnel during search and rescue operation in Uttarkashi district on Monday, July 19. (HT Photo)

Several houses were also damaged by heavy muck brought in by the rainwater in villages of Uttarkashi and Tehri Garhwal, prompting teams of state disaster response force (SDRF) to initiate search and rescue work.

According to SDRF, in Uttarkashi, three people including a mother-daughter duo died after they got trapped under heavy muck in Mandav village in the early hours.

Inspector Lalita Negi, media in-charge of SDRF, said, “The village was witnessing very heavy rains since Sunday night due to which a rivulet near it was overflowing.”

“On Monday at around 4am, the SDRF camp located about 3kms away from the village received information that several people are stranded in their homes which are filled with rainwater from the rivulet. An SDRF team rushed to the village and started search and rescue operation in which bodies of three people --a woman, and a mother-daughter duo -- were recovered under the muck in their house,” said Negi.

The deceased were identified as Mathura Devi, 36, Ritu Devi, 32 and her three-year-old daughter.

The officer said search operation was still on.

In Tehri Garhwal district, several houses were damaged in Med village but no casualties were reported. According to SDRF, the residents evacuated their homes early morning after hearing thunder and rains which prevented any loss of life. Local administration officials are present in the village to assess property damage.