A part of Nanda Devi glacier broke off at Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday. The gushing water from the breach triggered an avalanche that swept away hydroelectric stations and trapped more than 100 labourers in tunnels, who are feared dead.
The alarmingly increased water levels in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers caused large scale devastation and two hydroelectric projects– NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project– were damaged.
In an operation by Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), all 16 people were rescued from a tunnel near Tapovan dam in Chamoli.
Nearly 170 people were still missing, according to the State Management Disaster Center.