One person died and two are reported missing after heavy rain and landslide in the Madarma village in Bangapani Tehsil of Pithoragarh district on Saturday night. According to information provided by the State emergency operation centre, the heavy rain and landslide reported around 9.30 pm on Saturday night has resulted in one death, two persons missing and also killed 10 cattle and 12 goats apart from destroying two constructions.
Officials informed that 16-year-old Sunita Singh of Madarma village was killed in the disaster while her sister, 26-year old Rekha was seriously injured. The police, national and state disaster response force along with the district administration officials reached the site of disaster on receiving information to conduct the search and rescue operations which were reported to be continuing on Sunday.
A helicopter was arranged to facilitate proper medical treatment for the injured on Sunday but the helicopter could not land at the disaster site due to inclement weather and had to return to Haldwani. As the helicopter could not make a landing despite repeated attempts, the seriously injured Rekha was taken by the 108 ambulance service and admitted to the district hospital in Pithoragarh. Meanwhile, two villagers, 40 year old Ram Singh and 36 year old Radha Singh have been missing since the incident on Saturday night. In the Dehradun district a total of six rural roads were reported to be blocked on Sunday with efforts underway to clear the blocks.
According to district disaster operation centre, a total of four rural motor roads were reported to be blocked in Tehri district on Sunday. In the Uttarkashi district, the Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway 108 is open for small and large vehicles upto Gangotri while the Rishikesh-Yamunotri national highway 94 is open for small and large vehicles upto Janakichatti. Three rural motor roads are blocked in the district with work underway to open them. In Rudraprayag district, Rishikesh-Kedarnath national highway 109 is open for small and large vehicles upto Gaurikund with the Sonprayag-Kedrnath bridle path also reported to be open.
A total of seven rural motor roads are blocked in Rudraprayag district. In the Chamoli district, the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway 58 was reported to be open for small and large vehicles upto Badrinath. A total of six rural motor roads are blocked in the district with efforts underway to reopen them for traffic. The situation was reported to be normal in Udham Singh Nagar district. While four rural motor roads were blocked in Nainital district, three rural motor roads were blocked in Champawat, three rural roads were blocked in Almora district and five motor roads were blocked in Bageshwar district.