Nineteen dead in cloudburst in Uttarakhand

As many as 19 people were killed and many others injured on Friday as dozens of houses in a number of villages caved in following a cloudburst in Ukhimath area of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district. A large number of people are feared trapped in the debris and rescue operations are on, Disaster Management and Mitigation department officials here said citing initial reports.

Incessant rains since yesterday followed by a cloudburst in the wee hours today have left a trail of destruction in Timada, Sansari, Giriya, Chunni and Mangali villages in the district, they said.

The local administration has sought the assistance of the Army and the ITBP in view of the large-scale destruction caused by the cloudburst in Rudraprayag district, Disaster Management and Mitigation department sources said.

Communication and power lines are disrupted and traffic along several roads, including national highways in the area is affected, they said.

Rishikesh-Badrinath and Rishikesh-Gangotri highways have been closed due to landslips triggered by incessant rains, they said.

HT