Himalayan glacier bursts in India_ missing 150 reportedly
As many as 150 people were feared dead in northern India after a Himalayan glacier broke and crashed into a dam early on Sunday_ with floods forcing the evacuation of villages downstream.
"The actual number has not been confirmed yet_" but 100 to 150 people were feared dead_ Om Prakash_ chief secretary of Uttarakhand state where the incident occurred_ told Reuters.
A witness reported a wall of dust_ rock and water as an avalanche roared down a river valley.
Homes along the way were swept away as the waters rushed down the mountainsides in a raging torrent. There are fears of further damage in human settlements downstream. Many villages along the river have been evacuated and people have been moved to safer areas. An alert has been sounded in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh for areas along River Ganga.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has appealed to people to not spread rumours through old flood videos.
He said the water level in the Alaknanda_ another tributary of the Ganga_ is one metre above normal but the flow was reducing gradually. He added that all districts concerned have been alerted and people have been asked not to go near the Ganga.
Home Minister Amit Shah said disaster-response teams were being airlifted in to help with relief and rescue.
"All the concerned officers are working on a war footing_" Shah said on Twitter_ referring to Uttarakhand by its nickname_ the Hindi term for "land of the gods" - due to the numerous Hindu temples and pilgrimage centres located across the state.
The neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh_ India's most populous_ also put its riverside areas on high alert.
Footage shared by locals showed the water washing away parts of the dam as well as whatever else was in its path.
Uttarakhand in the Himalayas is prone to flash floods and landslides. In June 2013_ record rainfall caused devastating floods that claimed close to 6_000 lives.
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