AMN /
Seven persons have been killed and more than 30 are trapped trapped in debris following landslides due to heavy rains since this morning in Bastia village of Kanalichhina block of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. Dead bodies of 4 persons have been recovered by the district administration team with the help of the local people.
Loss of life and damage to property has been reported due to heavy rains in Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts . The Met Office has issued an alert of heavy rain in the next 72 hours in the districts of Nainital, Udhamsingh Nagar, Champawat, Almorah, Pauri, Haridwar, Tehri and Dehradun.
In Chamoli district, 3 people have died and 4 others are reported missing following incessant heavy rains since last night. The Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway has been disrupted at many places between Nandprayag and Badrinath due to landslides. Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the highway.
In view of the heavy rain alert, people living in the low lying areas have been cautioned. Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Harish Rawat has directed the Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts and the SDRF to speed up the relief and rescue work. He has also asked them to soon reopen the Badrinath highway.