Uttarakhand floods LIVE: Govt taking all measures, PM Modi tells state MPs

Uttarakhand floods live updates: About 25-35 people are trapped inside a tunnel, and the operation to rescue them is underway

4:17 AM

US condoles deaths in Uttarakhand flood, wishes for a speedy recovery of injured

The US has condoled the loss of lives due to the avalanche caused by a glacial burst in India's Uttarakhand state and extended wishes for a speedy recovery of those injured.
 

"Our thoughts are with our Indian friends and partners during this challenging time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, and we hope for a successful rescue effort and a speedy and full recovery for the injured," Ned Price, spokesperson of the Department of State told reporters, said.
 

A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Sunday, triggering an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away hydroelectric stations and trapped more than 100 labourers who are feared dead.
 

Twenty-six bodies have been recovered and 171 people still missing as multiple agencies worked at rescuing over 30 workers feared trapped in a tunnel at a power project site.
 

Congressman Tony Cardenas also expressed his concerns for the people suffered in the incident.
 

"Praying for the people of India," he said in a tweet.
 

"We are witnessing the devastating effects of climate change. This is not a crisis we can ignore. This now deserves a response," he added. PTI
 

11:07 PM

Uttarakhand disaster: Engineer from Srinagar missing

An engineer from Kashmir is among those missing following a glacier burst in Uttarakhand, officials said on Monday.
 

Basharat Ahmad Zargar, a resident of Soura area of Srinagar and working as a private company civil engineer at the Rishi Ganga power project in Uttarakhand, went missing after the glacier burst on Sunday morning, the officials said.
 

They said Zargar was still untraceable.
 

"We have taken up the issue with the government of Uttarakhand. We are in touch with disaster management authority there. The rescue operations are on," Jammu and Kashmir disaster management Director Aamir Ali said.
 

Twenty-six bodies have been recovered and 171 people still missing after the Uttarakhand disaster apparently caused by a glacier burst, as multiple agencies worked at rescuing over 30 workers feared trapped in a tunnel at a power project site.
 

Officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre reported the recovery of more bodies and feared the death toll would rise, a day after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks in Chamoli district.
 

It appeared to have triggered an avalanche and a deluge that ripped through the Alaknanda river system in the upper reaches of the ecologically-fragile Himalayas.
 

Experts, however, are still trying to determine the exact cause of the disaster in Joshimath. PTI
 

11:07 PM

J&K: Army organises awareness cum demonstration camp on snow avalanches

11:05 PM

Rescue work underway at Tapovan tunnel

10:13 PM

Uttarakhand glacier burst: Rescue operations underway

9:53 PM

Uttarakhand glacier burst

9:37 PM

Abrupt snowslide, not glacier burst, might have caused the calamity: Rawat

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Monday quoted scientists to say that the areas where avalanches struck on Sunday was not prone to such activities, and the calamity might have been caused by an "abrupt sliding down" of millions of tonnes of snow from a hill, rather than due to a glacier burst.
 

He also appealed to people to not make the tragedy an occasion for building an "anti-development narrative", as he left for the flood-hit areas of Chamoli for an on-the-spot assessment of relief and rescue operations.
 

He made the statement on the cause of the tragedy after holding a meeting here with ISRO scientists and officials of the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on finding out the exact reason for the calamity that has left at least 20 dead and over 150 missing.
 

He said ISRO officials showed him pictures in which no glacier is visible at the place where the burst started, but only a naked hill can be seen.
 

Something is visible on the top of it, he said, adding it might have been the trigger point from where the huge amount of snow slid down, causing the flashflood in the Rishiganga and Dhauli Ganga rivers. PTI
 

9:36 PM

U'khand disaster: 26 bodies recovered, 171 missing; experts study cause

Twenty-six bodies have been recovered and 171 people still missing after the Uttarakhand disaster apparently caused by a glacier burst, officials said Monday, as multiple agencies worked at rescuing over 30 workers feared trapped in a tunnel at a power project site.
 

Officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre reported the recovery of more bodies and feared the death toll would rise, a day after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks in Chamoli district.
 

It appeared to have triggered an avalanche and a deluge that ripped through the Alaknanda river system in the upper reaches of the ecologically fragile Himalayas.

Experts, however, are still trying to determine the exact cause of the disaster in Joshimath.
 

"It was due to lakhs of metric tonnes of snow sliding down abruptly from a trigger point on top of a naked hill," Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat told reporters after meeting ISRO scientists.
 

After a comprehensive analysis is undertaken to find out the reasons, "we will build an elaborate plan to avert any potential tragedy going forward", he said in an interview to PTI.

9:26 PM

Uttarakhand glacier burst: Rescue operations underway

More NDRF teams arrive at Joshimath after a glacier broke off causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river, in Chamoli district

Rescue operations underway near Tapovan Tunnel, after a glacier broke off in Joshimath causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand

Rescue operations underway near Tapovan Tunnel, after a glacier broke off in Joshimath causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand

People watch as officials conduct rescue operations at Tapovan Tunnel, after a glacier broke off in Joshimath causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand

Rescue operations underway near Tapovan Tunnel, after a glacier broke off in Joshimath causing a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand

9:04 PM

PM Modi interacts with Uttarakhand MPs, discusses prevailing situation following glacier burst

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday discussed the prevailing situation in Uttarakhand following glacier burst in Chamoli with Members of Parliament from the state. Relief efforts and future course of action over the Uttarakhand glacier disaster was discussed among other issues were discussed in the meeting which was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda.

 

According to sources, PM Modi told Uttarakhand MPs that the government and all its institutions stand with the Uttarakhand in this period of calamity and asserted all help will be extended to minimise loss of life and aid in relief efforts. The Prime Minister said scientific studies will be conducted to understand cycle of natural calamities in the natural disaster-prone state.

 

"Going forward, scientific studies will be conducted to understand cycle of natural calamities in this natural disaster prone state and best practices to be adopted to minimise loss of life and property due to these calamities," PM Modi said in the meeting, according to a PTI report.

9:01 PM

Uttarakhand CM holds meeting with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, state Police and other agencies

8:49 PM

Uttarakhand glacier disaster: Over 30 workers from UP's Lakhimpur Kheri missing

Over 30 people from Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri who worked at a hydro project in Uttrarakhand's Tapovan are missing after flash floods triggered by the breaking off a glacier caused extensive damage there. The missing people belong to Nighasan tehsil of Lakhimpur Kheri district.

 

The glacier burst at Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district had triggered an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away hydroelectric stations on Sunday.

 

The report of them going missing surfaced when some of the rescued workers contacted their family members and informed them about the tragedy. According to the kin of those missing, at least 34 people from various villages -- 15 from Ichhanagar; eight from Bhairampur; four from Babupurwa; three of Tikonia; and one each from Bhulanpur, Kadiya, Singahi and Mirjapur -- are missing.

8:26 PM

According to Uttarakhand Disaster Management Centre, 197 people are missing

According to Uttarakhand Disaster Management Centre, 197 people are missing

8:12 PM

So far, 24 bodies have been recovered from different places: Uttarakhand Police

So far, 24 bodies have been recovered from different places: Uttarakhand Police

7:44 PM

Education Minister visits Uttarakhand disaster site, takes stock of rescue measures

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Monday visited the area affected by the tragedy caused by the breaking of a glacier in Uttarakhand on Sunday morning and took stock of the rescue measures. He also met the families affected by the tragedy.

 

Nishank, who is an MP from Haridwar in Uttarakhand, assured the villagers that food items and health care facilities will be immediately provided to the people within the village itself. He also met the head of Raini village, which was the epicentre of the tragedy and asked him about the problems faced by the victims.