There was a flood in Uttarakhand today morning after an avalanche near a power project at the Reni village of Chamoli district caused a glacier to break off. The Dhauliganga river got flooded and is believed to have destroyed many houses situated at the river banksides. The incident took place around 26 km away from Joshimath.
Several labourers working at the Rishi Ganga hydroelectric power project were feared missing. Tapovan- Vishnugad dam of the Tapovan power project was breached. ITBP and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel have been rushed to the affected areas to evacuate stranded people.
“Casualties feared. Hundreds of ITBP men rushed for rescue,” the ITBP said.
The 85 km Dhauliganga river, one of the six source streams of the Ganga river, meets the Alaknanda river at Vishnuprayag at the base of Joshimath mountain in Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has convened an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation and to supervise rescue and relief operations. Though the impact of the disaster may not be felt in Rishikesh and Haridwar, the towns have been put on alert.
A government spokesman said that there was not much human habitation at the site where the glacier broke but a number of power projects have been hit. The government has also appealed to the people not to venture near the Ganga river.
The Army has also been pressed into service to carry out rescue operations in flood-affected areas. Further, Indian Air Force assets, both fixed wing as well as rotary, are on standby to provide all possible assistance to the affected persons.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation in Uttarakhand and spoke to CM Rawat and other top officials. He took stock of the rescue and relief work.
(With IANS inputs…Featured image source: Times of India)
Did you find this article useful? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism.
HinduPost is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinion on issues concerning Hindu society, subscribe to HinduPost on Telegram.
