A glacier broke off in Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Sunday, causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river and endangering the lives of people living along its banks. Massive destruction is feared, PTI reports. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said that there was some cloudburst or breaching of the reservoir at around 10 am, which resulted in the flooding in Dhauliganga — one of the six source streams of the Ganges river. The 85 km river meets the Alaknanda River at Vishnuprayag at the base of Joshimath mountain in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat says Alaknanda water level is 1 metre above normal but flow reducing gradually.
Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar told The Hindu that around 50-100 people, mostly those working at the Rishi Ganga Hydel power plant, have been reported missing. Around 100-150 casualties feared in the flash flood in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash told ANI.
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“More than 150 labourers working at the Rishi Ganga power project may have been directly affected,” said State Disaster Response Force DIG Ridhim Aggarwal. “Representatives of the power project have told me that they are not being able to contact around 150 of their workmen at the project site," she said. Though details are awaited, several districts, including Pauri, Tehri, Rudraprayag, Haridwar and Dehradun, are likely to be affected and have been put on high alert.
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Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat appealed to people to not spread rumours through old flood videos. He said all districts concerned have been alerted and people have been asked not to go near the Ganga. Rawat cancelled all his programmes scheduled for the day. He is likely to visit Chamoli to take stock of the situation. "If you are stranded in affected areas and you need any help. Please contact Disaster Operations Center number 1070 or 9557444486, the CM said.
The ITBP and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams rushed to flood-hit areas in Uttarakhand to undertake relief and rescue work, officials in New Delhi said.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been briefed on Uttrakhand’s Chamoli district flood situation, and is coordinating relief and rescue with Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, Union Home Secretary and MoS Home Nityanand Rai. Air Force and other disaster relief forces are on standby.