India Struggles To Find Scores Missing After Glacier Break Unleashes Flood
Indian rescue crews are scrambling to find at least 170 missing people after a glacier in the Himalayas broke off and unleashed a surge of water. At least 14 people were killed amid fear that the number of dead may increase as rescue crews search for the missing and assess the damage in India's northern state of Uttarakhand. The flood was caused when part of the Nanda Devi glacier came loose on February 7, releasing water trapped behind into downstream rivers. One under-construction hydroelectric project was destroyed by the torrent of water and another hydropower plant was damaged. The floodwaters also damaged homes and bridges along the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers. The State Emergency Operation Center said of the missing the persons, 170 were at the two hydropower projects and are believed to be workers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that “the nation prays for everyone’s safety” in Uttarakhand and promised payments to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. Scientists say the disaster highlights the dangers of global warming in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains, which hold vast reserves of fresh water that feed into 10 large Asian rivers.
Indian rescue crews are scrambling to find at least 170 missing people after a glacier in the Himalayas broke off and unleashed a surge of water. At least 14 people were killed amid fear that the number of dead may increase as rescue crews search for the missing and assess the damage in India's northern state of Uttarakhand. The flood was caused when part of the Nanda Devi glacier came loose on February 7, releasing water trapped behind into downstream rivers. One under-construction hydroelectric project was destroyed by the torrent of water and another hydropower plant was damaged. The floodwaters also damaged homes and bridges along the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers. The State Emergency Operation Center said of the missing the persons, 170 were at the two hydropower projects and are believed to be workers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that “the nation prays for everyone’s safety” in Uttarakhand and promised payments to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives. Scientists say the disaster highlights the dangers of global warming in the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains, which hold vast reserves of fresh water that feed into 10 large Asian rivers.
