3 labourers rescued; search for others underway after house collapses in Uttarakhand's Chamoli

Aug 15, 2023

Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], August 16 : Three labourers have been rescued while a search for four people is underway after a house collapsed in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, according to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The incident took place in Hailang village of Joshimath development block.
According to the SDRF, seven labourers were present in the house when the incident took place.
“Seven labourers were present in the house when the incident took place, three of them have been rescued and sent to a hospital for further treatment,” it said.
A search and rescue operation is underway.
Further information is awaited.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had yesterday issued a red alert and predicted heavy rainfall with lightning in six districts of the state for the next twenty-four hours.
It also forecast very heavy to extremely heavy rain/ thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and very intense to extremely intense spell is likely to occur at isolated places in Dehradun, Pauri, Tehri, Nainital, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar.
According to official estimates, 52 people died due to rain-related incidents in this monsoon session while another 37 people sustained injuries.
On the instructions of the chief minister, SDRF and NDRF personnel were deployed in places badly affected by rain-related incidents. 
Heavy rains in Uttarakhand have triggered landslides and flash floods in several places.
Badrinath National Highway has been blocked in several areas of the Chamoli district, as a result of heavy rainfall in the state, officials said on Tuesday.
According to Chamoli Police, the highway was blocked at Pipalkoti, Gadora, Navodaya Vidyalaya Pipalkoti, Gulabkoti, Pagalnala and Vishnuprayag areas of the Chamoli district. 
On Monday, the highway was blocked and several vehicles were buried under debris falling from the mountain in Pipalkoti after a landslide was triggered following intermittent rainfall.
As many as 52 people, stranded after a bridge collapsed in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag, were rescued, officials said on Tuesday.  
According to the SDRF, due to heavy rains in the Madmaheshwar valley, the bridge in Goundar village was washed away leaving several people stranded.
The SDRF rescue team reached the spot immediately and found that people on the other side of the bridge were stranded.
However, the rescue operation could not kick off immediately due to the high water level of the river.