Cloudburst washes away houses in Chamoli, one killed after falling in canal

Several houses, shops and vehicles were swept away following a cloudburst in Tharali and Ghat areas of Chamoli district early today, while a woman died after falling into an overflowing canal in Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand.

While five houses were damaged in Kundi village, ten houses suffered damage in Maukhmalla village of Ghat area where two animals were also washed away, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC)said here.

About 10-15 shops and ten vehicles including three motorcycles were washed away in Ratgaon in Tharali area of Chamoli district,it said.

However, no human casualty was reported in these incidents.

Relief and rescue teams consisting of police and SDRF personnel were rushed to affected areas, Chamoli District Magistrate Ashish Joshi said.

Meanwhile, the body of a woman was recovered from a canal in Munsyari area of Pithoragarh district today.

The 36-year-old Haruli Devi had fallen into the swollen Bathiraula canal after slipping off a rock yesterday, the SEOC said.

Landslides triggered by heavy rains also blocked Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway near Nalauda and Rishikesh-Yamunotri highway near Dabarkot and Kuthnor.