Flashfloods in river Ganga and its tributaries, triggered by incessant rains, today left a trail of death and devastation across Uttarakhand killing 30 people, injuring 19 and damaging over 160 buildings. Seven people went missing and a chopper and four vehicles were swept away as heavy rains continue to lash the state. This was disclosed by the Disaster Management authorities in Dehradun.
Rudraprayag bore the brunt of the disaster accounting for
20 casualties. Two persons each were killed in Chamoli, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts, three in Dehradun and one in Almora. A large number of structures including shrines, hotels, rest houses, commercial and residential buildings collapsed like a pack of cards in Rudraparayag district. Over hundred houses were totally damaged in Rudraprayag, in Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi, Dehradun, Tehri and Bageshwar.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who took information from District Magistrates on the extent of damage caused by the flashfloods through video conferencing. He described the calamity describing it as a huge one. Rescue operations are going on on a war footing with the help of ITBP, BSF and the Army but bad weather is proving a hindrance.
Bahuguna said, Chardham and Mansarovar pilgrimages, suspended following
torrential rains, would be resumed as soon as the weather improves.
In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, at least 15 people were killed in different parts of Saharanpur district as flash floods, caused by heavy rains in Uttarakhand, wreck havoc in the area. Meteorological department issued a heavy rainfall warning for some parts of both the states. A bulletin issued by the Central Water Commission in New Delhi said river Ganga at Rishikesh in Uttarakhand's Dehradun district is now flowing in high flood situation and it may further rise.
In Haryana, over 200 residents stranded in their villages due to flood were rescued with the help of Air Force in Karnal. State Irrigation Minister, H. S. Chattha said that although there had been unprecedented discharge of 8.06 lakh cusecs from Hathnikund Barrage in river Yamuna, the heavy floods have not yet caused any serious damage to the protection structures constructed along the river in the State.
He said that the effect of the peak discharge was expected to reach Delhi State in 48 hours after crossing Hathini Kund Barrage in Yamunanagar and after spreading in the plains in Haryana.
In Himachal Pradesh, the death toll has rose up to ten in separate incidents of house collapse and flash floods in the tribal District Kinnaur since Sunday. The water level has risen in river Sutlej and its tributaries as well as other local nullah as the rain and snowfall continued today the third day in most parts of the District. More than thousand tourists including state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh are stranded in Sangla town of Kinnaur since Sunday morning.
