Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeIndia16 dead after fatal floods jolt Uttarakhand; bridges, houses collapse

16 dead after fatal floods jolt Uttarakhand; bridges, houses collapse

The dreadful floods of Uttarakhand wreaked havoc in the state for a consecutive third day after rains shattered several regions, leaving 16 people dead and multiple missing.  

As per officials, there might be many others trapped under the debris of collapsed houses and flooded areas due to heavy rains that refuse to slow down.  

While hundreds are feared to be in need of immediate evacuation and help, the Centre has deployed 3 helicopters to begin rescue missions, Chief Minister of state Pushkar Singh Dhami said.  

“Prime Minister and Home Minister have been briefed on the situation. Houses, bridges etc. have been damaged and 16 people have died so far,” he confirmed. 

The floods have also caused severe damage of crops and fields, as per the aerial surveys conducted by Mr Dhami, Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat and a senior police officer.  

Though the flooding has destructed houses and livelihoods, the rains are expected to undergo a “significant reduction in Uttarakhand from today”, according to the weather department’s forecast with “isolated to scattered” showers in the region.  

The situation is very tense in the hilly state as videos show the grave condition of houses, roads, buildings and bridges. In one of the clips, army officers can be seen rescuing people trapped in a store in gushing waters.  

Under-construction bridges have collapsed, houses are being washed away and people are getting buried alive due to the overflowing of the Nainital river after it witnessed 500mm of rain in the past 24 hours. The city was blocked for entry after 3 roads got hit by landslides. Roads leading to Haldwani, Bhawali and Kaladhungi have also been blocked due to the same.  

Five deaths were reported on Monday while 11 were recorded today- taking the total tally to 16- after 7 people died following a house collapse in Khairna and Mukteshwar of Nainital. Another person died after he was washed away in Udham Singh Nagar. 3 labourers from Nepal were buried alive after rubble flowed down over them from a field above and 2 people who died in a house collapse in Champawat district accounted for Monday’s deaths.  

Uttarakhand is under high alert with the state and national disaster response on-ground. To assist the growing number of people who require help, the Army has also been deployed in the region. Army helicopters are due to arrive in the hilly state soon and begin the rescue operations.  

While two of these will reach Nainital, another will be sent to Garhwal.