Chamoli: Massive floods of the Alakananda and Dhauli Ganga rivers on Sunday, caused to 10 people have died and nearly 150 are missing in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand state. These floods have occurred after a glacier break at Joshimath in Chamoli District. The state government authorities evacuated many villages as flood waters damaged homes and the nearby NTPC power plant.

A small hydro power project near Rishi Ganga was washed away in the floods. The Union health ministry has been deployed disaster response teams to the spot. The army has sent six columns; three helicopters are conducting Ariel surveys and seven navy diving teams are on standby for the rescue operations. India stands Uttarakhand and nation prays for everyone’s safety, said Prime Minister Modi in a tweet.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said teams from the army, ITBP and police as well as from the NDRF and SDRF response forces, was doing their best to save the lives of the workers at sites affected by disaster. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash confirmed so far 10 deaths and around 150 are feared dead overall in the floods. Around 160 people worked at the NTPC and Rishiganga power plants, and many are still missing. Sixteen people trapped in a tunnel at the Tapovan dam have been rescued by an ITBP team. Authorities also fear for the safety of labourers at road and rail projects in nearby areas.

Modi in his tweet said he had spoken to the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. I am constantly monitoring the unfortunate situation, India stands with Uttarakhand and the nation prays for everyone’s safety there. Have been continuously speaking to senior authorities and getting updates on NDRF deployment, rescue work and relief operations.” Medical teams have also been rushed to affected sites. A 30-bed hospital has been kept ready at Joshimath and hospitals in Srinagar, Rishikesh, Jolly grant and Dehradun are on standby.

The NCMC met this evening and said information from the Central Water Commission said there was no danger of downstream flooding at this point, and that the rise in water levels had been contained. There is also no threat to the neighbouring villages, said the NCMC sources. Five NDRF teams – one from Dehradun and four from Delhi – have been mobilized. Four more are being readied and will be airlifted from Ghaziabad’s Hindon Air Force base, which is near Delhi. Teams are also being airlifted from Dehradun to Joshimath. Two ITBP teams and four SDRF teams have also been mobilized.

Videos shared on social media showed the massive burst of water tearing through a narrow valley below the power plant, leaving roads and bridges destroyed in its wake. Authorities emptied two dams in a bid to stop the flood waters from reaching Rishikesh and Haridwar, where people were barred from going near the Ganga riverbanks.

The Uttarakhand government announced helplines for the Disaster Operations Center: Helpline Number 1070 or 9557444486.