New Delhi: At least 30 people were killed and several others missing on Friday as torrential rains and landslides hit the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The federal government on Friday rushed rescue teams of National Disaster Response Force to the hill state.
Federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh took stock of the situation arising out of the cloudburst and heavy rains in Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts. Singh assured Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat all possible assistance to deal with the situation.
While eight persons were killed in Pithoragarh district, four others died in Chamoli district.
Two persons were swept away by the muddy waters and debris rushing down the slopes into Siron village in Chamoli.
“25 persons, missing from over seven villages of Singhali area in Didiihat sub division of Pithoragarh district, are being traced with the help of ITBP, SSB and Pithoragarh district police,” said district disaster management officer R S Rana who was on the spot.
The Uttarakhand chief minister, who was in Delhi, announced a compensation of 200,000 rupees each to the families of the victims.
“Many people are still trapped under tons of debris brought by the heavy rains. ITBP, SDRF and paramilitary personnel are involved in rescue work,” he said.
According to disaster management office sources, the cloudburst occurred in the villages of Singhali, Patthakot, Ogla and Thal villages which are under heavy debris with many people feared trapped under it.
Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF, along with the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been called in for rescue efforts.
Connectivity to the affected area has been severed, a senior cop supervising the rescue operations said. “The information we have got from a local there is that the situation is very grim. Disaster response teams have left from Almora and Dharchula to assist in relief and rescue in the region,” he said.
The Met department had issued a 72-hour warning from late last night for incessant rainfall in the region including 7 hill-districts of Garhwal and Kumaon Region.
The administration is working on war-footing to clear landslides and road blocks. Emergency ration has been stored in large quantities at district headquarters.
In June 2013, nearly 6,000 people, including pilgrims and tourists, were killed by floods and landslides in the state, destroying hundreds of villages and towns in one of the country’s worst natural disasters.