Amulti-agency rescue operation was underway in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli region that was hit by a massive flood triggered by a glacier burst at Joshimath.
The Indian Air Force and the Army swung into action with the latter deploying around 400 personnel in rescue work, besides sending two medical teams to affected areas.
The glacial disaster washed away five bridges of the Border Roads Organisation in the area.
These bridges – one big and four small – connected narrow roads in the hills with the 13 villages. Officials said arrangements are being made to airdrop food packets to the villages.
Over 170 labourers — 148 employed at the NTPC plant and 22 at Rishiganga — are said to be missing, a spokesperson said while quoting the project-in charge. Ten bodies have been found so far, ITBP Spokesperson Vivek Pandey said.
The United States state department on Sunday condoled the loss of lives due to the glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district and extended wishes for a speedy recovery of those injured. The state department’s bureau of south and central Asian affairs said that they “grieve with the family and friends of the deceased”, sending their deepest condolences to those affected in the flash flood.
Turkey also extended its solidarity to India after a Himalayan glacier broke off in the country’s north, leading to a massive flood.
“We are saddened to learn that many people are unaccounted for and feared to have lost their lives as a result of a flood which was caused by a broken glacier crashing into a dam in the Uttarakhand province in Northern India this morning,” said the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a written statement.
France Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron also expressed solidarity with India and Uttarakhand after the floods.
The United Nations released a statement on Sunday as well extending help to India in the wake of massive floods triggered by a glacial burst in Uttarakhand.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), along with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), is carrying out the search and rescue operation which will continue throughout the night as dozens of people remain missing.
There were fears of damage in human settlements downstream, including in heavily populated areas. Many villages were evacuated and people were taken to safer areas.
Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, prayed for the safety of the victims.
