Ten vehicles buried under landslide debris in U'khand, no one hurt

Ten parked vehicles were on Saturday buried under the debris of a landslide while roads, eateries and shops were damaged by overflowing streams following heavy rains in Govindghat on the way to the Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib in Garhwal Himalayas.

There was no casualty as the vehicles were parked and unoccupied but the damage to roads, shops, dhabas and some homes was substantial, Chamoli District Disaster Management officer N K Joshi said.

The national highway to Badrinath was also breached at a number of places by the gushing waters, he said.

Bailey bridges are being built as an alternative on spots where the national highway has been washed away, Joshi said.

The police and district administration teams are engaged in the rescue operations at Govindghat town which is the main halt on the way to Hemkund Sahib.

Power and water supply lines were hit by overflowing Gothma, Tugpani, Tamcha and Karuna streams. A parking lot at Govindghat main market was also partially damaged.

Rains also inflicted damage on Dewal and Tharali blocks of Chamoli district where houses and crops in Van Gaon were destroyed partially.

Relief material like essential edibles, clothes, shoes and solar lights have been made available to the affected people, the official said.