At least seven people were killed and more than 100 people are missing after a glacier burst; triggering flash floods in India’s northern Uttarakhand state on Sunday.
The flood was caused; when a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off; in the Tapovan area of the northern state of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning.
The Rishiganga hydropower plant on the Alaknanda River was destroyed; while the Dhauliganga hydropower plant on the Dhauliganga River was damaged, said Vivek Pandey, a spokesman for the paramilitary Indo Tibetan Border Police. Flowing from the Himalayan mountains, both rivers meet before merging with the Ganges River.
“It came very fast, there was no time to alert anyone,” Sanjay Singh Rana; told Reuters by phone. “I felt that even we would be swept away.”
#BREAKING: (Video) Himalayan glacier breaks in India’s #Uttrakhand, districts on high alert.
Prayer For #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/sjAOpKMq7H
— Lokendra Nath 🌐 (@LnathAssam) February 7, 2021
Some workers could be trapped in a tunnel at a state-owned NTPC hydro project; clogged with debris from the avalanche triggered by the glacial burst, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said at a press conference
“Uttarakhand has witnessed a terrible disaster,” Rawat said, adding that the state is expecting “a significant loss to human lives and infrastructure.”
later The minister said of a total of 35 people working at the Rishiganga Power project; roughly 29 to 30 people are missing.
The Chief Minister also announced a compensation of four lakh Indian Rupees ($5,495.39 USD) for the families of those deceased.
Indian Army and members from India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been assisting rescue efforts, and more NDRF teams are being airlifted from New Delhi and expected to arrive later on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet said he was “constantly monitoring the unfortunate situation.” He added: “India stands with Uttarakhand and the nation prays for everyone’s safety there.”
President Ram Nath Kovind said he was “deeply worried” about the glacier burst.