Dehradun, August 24: Flash floods triggered by heavy rains killed one person and left another missing in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district early on Saturday, damaging homes, markets, vehicles and roads, state officials said.
The floods struck Tharali town on the banks of the Pindar river around 12:40 a.m., sweeping away debris that buried parts of the Chepado and Kotdweep markets and damaged the residence of the local sub-divisional magistrate, the district administration said.
A 21-year-old woman was killed, while 11 others were injured in flood-related accidents. At least 150 people displaced by the flooding have been moved to temporary relief centres at a polytechnic in Kulsari and a nearby college.
Rescue operations are underway with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police. Fifty Army personnel, along with a medical unit, drones and search dogs, were deployed from Joshimath to assist in the efforts.
“The Karnaprayag-Gwaldam road has been damaged at many places due to heavy rain. Restoration work is being prioritised along with efforts to restore power and communication,” Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident and said he was personally monitoring relief operations. The India Meteorological Department has issued orange and red alerts for several districts, including Chamoli, warning of more heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours.
The disaster comes less than three weeks after flash floods in Dharali village in Uttarkashi district washed away homes, killing two people and leaving 68 missing.
