Two labourers die in Uttarakhand cloud burst, rains disrupt Char Dham pilgrimage

Two persons have died and three buried under rubble after a cloud burst led to a major chunk of a hill to collapse.

Two persons have died and three others have been buried in rubble on a hillside after a cloud burst triggered heavy rains in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, an official said on Friday.

Two of the bodies have been extracted while search continues for three more. (HT file photo)

The downpour late on Thursday followed the cloud burst at Malari that led to a major chunk of a hill to collapse. Five labourers involved in some civil project, sleeping by the hillside were trapped in it.

Two of the bodies have been extracted while search continues for three more.

A team of experts belonging to the State Disaster Management Department has been rushed to the site.

The heavy rains and inclement weather have also disrupted the Char Dham pilgrimage, the official said. The Badrinath-Lambagad highway has been block, and also the Gangotri National Highway between Therang and Gangnani, near Nagdevta due to debris coming down on the road.

“Owing to some landslides and the subsequent debris falling on the highway traffic has been halted at Gangotri, Gangnani, Bhatwadi and Uttarkashi,” he added.

The Hemkund pilgrimage continues uninterrupted.