More than 100 persons are missing after part of a Himalayan glacier broke in northern India, leading to a massive flood, officials said on Sunday.
Nanda Devi glacier, India’s second-highest mountain, broke off in Tapovan area of the Uttarakhand state, damaging the Rishiganga hydro power project.
Several rescue teams were sent in after the sudden barrage of water damaged two dams and several homes.
Local residents reported that they feared workers from a nearby hydropower project had been swept away by the flood as well as other villagers who had been near the river at the time.
According to the National Disaster Recovery Force (NDRF), its teams together with Indo-Tibetan border police launched a rescue operation and recovered three dead bodies.
Thousands of residents have already been evacuated but experts say it will only be clear how extensive the damage is once the floodwaters recede.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was “constantly monitoring the unfortunate situation in Uttarakhand.”
He also confirmed that the other two dams in the area have been emptied out and the flow of the river has been stopped to minimize the effect.
