Soldiers searching for survivors of a landslide following torrential rains in the Pithoragarh area of rural Uttarakhand (AFP photo)
Highlights
- Torrential rain triggered landslides and floods in both states
- 29 killed, 15 missing after cloudbursts, landslides in Uttarakhand
- At least 10 died in massive landslide in Arunachal Pradesh
At least 40 people have died in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh after torrential rain triggered landslides and floods in the Himalayan states.
29 people were killed and 15 are missing after cloudbursts and landslides triggered by heavy rain in Uttarakhand.
Rescue teams today continued to look for 25 people who went missing following landslides.
Personnel of the NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, SSB and state police were clearing the debris left after the cloudburst in Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts on Friday, officials said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat said, "We have alerted the rescue team and we are taking stalk of the situation... we have mobilised army as well in the most hit villages."
He, however said that "Char Dham Yatra" that was stopped yesterday due to bad weather has resumed. "We are fully alert,... we are keeping a close watch on everything," he added.
Meanwhile, 10 people have died in a massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the last three days in Arunachal Pradesh's West Kameng district.
Five Information Bureau or IB officers were among the people reported missing.
The landslide occurred on Friday at Bhalukpong town following which a hillock near the old circuit house in the area caved in, officials said.
"We have retrieved 10 bodies. We are looking through the rubble for any more bodies or survivors. The rescue operation had to be suspended last night but has resumed this morning," said senior official Sonal Swaroop.