Around 150 people are feared dead after a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off at Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district at 10.45 am on Sunday. The gushing water from the breach caused the water levels to rise alarmingly in Dhauliganga, Alaknanda and Rishiganga rivers, washing away bridges, damaging a power station and forcing mass evacuation of people living along the banks, reports news agency ANI.

“Around 100-150 casualties are feared in the flash flood in Chamoli district,: Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Om Prakash told ANI.

Also read: Uttarakhand avalanche updates: 150 feared dead as glacier breaks off; several homes destroyed

By 3 pm, three bodies had been recovered and search was on for survivors at NTPC site in Tapovan area of Chamoli in Uttarakhand. Chamoli police said that Rishiganga Power Project has been damaged due to the breach and advised people living on the bank of Alaknanda river to move to safe places at the earliest.

“People are being evacuated from the areas near Alkananda. As a precautionary measure, flow of Bhagirathi River has been stopped. To prevent the flow of water of Alaknanda, Srinagar Dam & Rishikesh Dam have been emptied. SDRF is on alert. I am leaving for the spot”, Uttarakhand CM T S Rawat was quoted as saying.

Also read: High alert in UP as glacier breaks off in neighbouring Uttarakhand  

Early assessment of the damage from the flood showed that the breach impacted the Rishiganga river and the flooding washed away three bridges, one of them an BRO bridge that provided connectivity to border posts.

“The upper reaches of the Rishiganga project also has been damaged. Chamoli, Joshimath and other downstream reaches will be affected,” SN Pradhan, DG NDRF, told ANI.

Also read: Watch: Massive floods wreck havoc, destroy homes in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district

Home Minister Amit Shah said that he had spoken to the CM and all officers concerned were working on a war footing to rescue people. “NDRF teams have left for rescue operations. Every possible help will be provided to Devbhoomi,” Shah said.

Two teams of ITBP have reached the spot, three NDRF teams have been rushed from Dehradun and three additional teams will reach there by evening, MoS Home Nityanand Rai said.