The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has said that at least 150 people have died in Chamoli district following a flash flood in the Rishi Ganga river near Joshimath on Sunday morning as a glacier broke up and fell into the river, exponentially increasing its volume.
Representational image/File.
Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash on Sunday said that around 100 to 150 people are feared dead due to the massive flooding in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district following a glacier breach.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has said that at least 150 people have died in Chamoli district following a flash flood in the Rishi Ganga river near Joshimath on Sunday morning as a glacier broke up and fell into the river, exponentially increasing its volume.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that teams from the police, the Army and the ITBP, as well as from the national and state disaster response forces, were doing their best to save the lives of the workers at sites affected by the disaster.
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According to the officials, seven diving teams of the Indian Navy are on standby in the flood-affected areas at Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district for relief operations.
Further, both fixed wing as well as rotary assets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are on standby to provide all possible assistance.
The Indian Army was pressed into service to carry out rescue operations in flood-affected areas.
Troops have been moved towards the flood-affected areas in Dhauliganga, where the massive flood occurred.
The Army Aviation Wing has also been pressed into service to carry out an aerial survey and evacuate trapped people. “One advanced light helicopter and two Cheetah helicopters are evacuating persons in the area,” an Army official said.
Four columns or around 400 personnel of the Army have been moved to flood-affected areas, the official added. Two medical teams and engineering task force were also pressed into service.
“Indian Air Force C-130 and AN-32 aircraft are being used to airlift National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel,” said a senior IAF official.
(With IANS inputs)
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