Uttarakhand glacier burst: Rescue ops on at Chamoli flood site | What we know so far
Chamoli glacier burst: Officials have been instructed to evacuate people living in nearby villages as the state government sounded an alert in several areas
The Indian Army has deployed its helicopters and moved its troops to assist rescue operations in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli where a massive flood was triggered in the Dhauliganga river after a glacial burst on Sunday. About 100 to 150 people are feared killed and hundreds of labourers, who were working at a power project in the area, are missing, news agency ANI quoted the state’s chief secretary Om Prakash as saying.
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Officials have been instructed to evacuate people living in nearby villages as the state government sounded an alert in several areas. Union home minister Amit has said that all the concerned officers are working on a war footing to secure the people. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from Delhi have also left for rescue operations.
Here’s what we know so far about the Chamoli glacier burst:
*The disaster was reported at Raini village at around 10:45am, affecting two dam sites in Chamoli, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said in a tweet. He said that immediate instructions were issued to take stock of the situation and that the state's disaster response mechanism was activated.
*As the search operation is underway, two bodies have been recovered, some injured rescued have been rescued and about 50-100 people are missing, Uttarakhand director general of police (DGP) Ashok Kumar told news agency PTI.
*The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is also at the spot to raise awareness and carry out rescue operations. “Over 200 jawans are on the job and working in collaboration with local administration. One team is on the spot to assess the situation. Another team is deployed near Joshimath to raise awareness and evacuate people. The situation is under control," Vivek Pandey, spokesperson for ITBP, told ANI.
*The water level in the Dhauliganga river rose suddenly following an avalanche near a power project at Raini village in Tapovan area of Chamoli district.
*“As a precaution, the flow of Bhagirathi river has been stopped. To prevent the flow of water of Alaknanda, Srinagar Dam and Rishikesh Dam have been emptied. SDRF is on alert,” the chief minister wrote on Twitter. He also urged people to not spread and pay attention to rumours.
*Rawat has posted helpline numbers for those in the affected areas. “If you are stuck in the affected area, if you need any kind of help, please contact Disaster Operations Center number 1070 or 9557444486,” he wrote on Twitter.
*Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is constantly monitoring the situation in Uttarakhand. “India stands with Uttarakhand and the nation prays for everyone’s safety there. Have been continuously speaking to senior authorities and getting updates on NDRF deployment, rescue work and relief operations,” he tweeted.
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