House Washed Away In Uttarakhand, Highest Rain Alert Sounded Across State

A river in spate due to incessant rain made a house collapse like a pack of cards before washing it away in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district today. 

The incident took place in Kothila village in the district's Dharchula area and the house was located on the edge of the river Kali, which divides India and Nepal. 

Videos of the house collapse, some of which were shot from the other side of the river in Nepal, show the ground-plus-one structure crumbling within seconds as the ground gives way beneath it. Only a couple of beams remain where the house once stood, with the rest of the structure being washed away by the river. 

A red alert - when rainfall above 204.5 mm is expected in a 24-hour span - has been issued by the India Meteorological Department across Uttarakhand for today and tomorrow. 

Villagers in Kothila say the swelling Kali river is causing landslides in several areas and many houses are in danger of collapsing. Some residents have even started leaving the village, which had seen a similar tragedy last year as well. Authorities said teams from the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster response force have been dispatched to the village.  

Uttarakhand has been battered by heavy rain for over a week now, leading to widespread destruction and the deaths of several people. Four people were killed and seven people were injured after falling boulders crushed three vehicles in Uttarkashi district yesterday.  

An orange alert has been sounded in the state, with Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami saying that his administration remains "on full alert".

“Every year, during the monsoon time here, we have to face natural calamities. There are landslides due to excessive precipitation, and the water level increases in rivers. We are in full alert mode. All district administration officials and those involved in disaster management are doing their work,” news agency ANI quoted Mr Dhami as saying. 

“All of them have been asked to stay in alert mode to face any situation. Our other organisations are also working on this. NDRF, Army, and our PWD department are all ready to face any situation and we are constantly in touch with the people to help them in any situation," he added.