Uttarakhand: Cloudburst hits Mori Tehsil in Uttarkashi, rescue teams dispatched

A cloudburst hit Mori Tehsil in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Sunday, prompting the state government to dispatch teams of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to carry out rescue and evacuation operations.

"We have received information about people being stranded and damage to a few houses in Makudi and Digoli due to heavy rainfall. Teams of SDRF, Red Cross, ITBP and NDRF have been moved for rescue and evacuation operations," Uttarkashi District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan told ANI.

Due to the cloudburst, several people have been stranded at various places in the area.

Digoli village head Shashi Nautiyal said two drains were overflowing and roads have been flooded. Dozens of houses have suffered damage besides apple trees getting uprooted, she added.

Tons river has been in spate in Uttarkashi following heavy rainfall and water has entered Tikoccchi and Tuni markets. The administration has gone on high alert, officials said.

On Saturday, people in Sangli village were forced to cross the Halara Khad river after the road connecting their village was blocked due to landslides.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread rainfall over the next three days in Uttarkashi.

-ANI