Massive flood in Dhauli Ganga, Uttarakhand: Officials evacuate people in surrounding villages

(Screengrab of video on Twitter/@ANI)

A massive flood has occurred in Dhauli Ganga, at Reni village near the river in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, after a glacial burst triggered an avalanche.

The Rishiganga Power Project has been damaged due to the breach of a glacier in Tapovan area.

The Chamoli district magistrate has instructed officials to evacuate people living in villages on the bank of Dhauli Ganga river, ANI reported.

Two teams of ITBP reach the spot, three NDRF teams have been rushed from Dehradun and 3 additional teams will reach there with help of IAF chopper till evening. SDRF & local administration already at spot: MoS Home Nityanand Rai to ANI on massive flood in Dhauliganga.

Rescue workers have reached the village, which is situated in the Joshimath area of Chamoli district, the news agency reported.

MoS Home Nityanand Rai told ANI that Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been rushed to the spot.

"Two teams of ITBP reach the spot, three NDRF teams have been rushed from Dehradun and three additional teams will reach there with help of IAF chopper till evening. SDRF & local administration already at spot" Rai said.

#WATCH | A massive flood in Dhauliganga seen near Reni village, where some water body flooded and destroyed many river bankside houses due to cloudburst or breaching of reservoir. Casualties feared. Hundreds of ITBP personnel rushed for rescue: ITBP pic.twitter.com/c4vcoZztx1

— ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2021

In a tweet, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said he is is leaving for the spot. He also said the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is on alert.

The flow of the Bhagirathi river has been stopped, as a precaution, Rawat said. To prevent the flow of water in the Alakananda river, the Srinagar Dam and Rishikesh Dam have been emptied, he added.

In a tweet, the Chamoli Police advised people living near the Alaknanda river to move to safer locations.

आवश्यक सूचना

जनमानस को सूचित किया जाता है कि तपोवन रैणी क्षेत्र में ग्लेशियर आने के कारण ऋषिगंगा पावर प्रोजेक्ट को क्षति पहुँची है,जिससे नदी का जल स्तर लगातार बढ़ता जा रहा है,ज़िस कारण अलकनंदा नदी किनारे रह रहे लोगों से अपील है कि अतिशीघ्र सुरक्षित स्थानों पर चले जाएं।

— chamoli police (@chamolipolice) February 7, 2021

(This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.)