One killed, five trapped as landslides hit Chamoli in Uttarakhand

Gopeshwar, Aug 12 A woman was buried alive while five others were trapped in the rubble on Monday as landslides triggered by heavy rains hit three different places in the watershed area of Chuflagad, a tributary of Mandakini river in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.

The debris of landslides fell over three houses in Banjabgad and Lankhi villages in Ghat area of the district early on Monday trapping the occupants inside, District Disaster Management officer NK Joshi said.

Body of a woman was pulled out from the debris by rescuers at Banjabgad while her nine-month-old daughter is still trapped, he said.

Muddy waters of the flooded Chuflagad river swamped cowsheds burying livestock and washing away shops, he said.

Efforts are underway to rescue people trapped in the rubble inside their houses and evacuate those living in the affected area to safety, the official said.

Heavy rains, which started on Sunday evening, are still continuing, Joshi said.