Panic spread among those living along the banks of the Alaknanda when a regional news channel broadcast news about the water level rising in the Satopanth glacial lake and later ‘broke news’ about this lake bursting near Badrinath in Chamoli district.
Following this broadcast, people living along the Alaknanda at Srinagar in Pauri district also began shifting to higher areas until they were informed about there being no flash floods. District officials have stressed that there is no cause for alarm as confirmed by a survey team.