Rescuers look for survivors from Uttarakhand glacier flood disaster

Hundreds of rescue workers were scouring muck-filled ravines and valleys in rrn India on Tuesday looking for survivors after part of a Himalayan glacier broke off, sending a devastating flood downriver that has left at least 26 people de and 165 missing. One of rescue efforts is focused on a tunnel at a hydroelectric power plant where more than three dozen workers have been out of contact since flood occurred Sunday. Rescuers used machine excavators and shovels to clear sludge from tunnel overnight in an attempt to reach workers as hopes for ir survival fe.

disaster was set off when part of a glacier on Nanda Devi mountain snapped off Sunday morning. Scientists have gone to site to investigate what caused break and flood — possibly an avalanche or a release of accumulated water. Experts say climate change may be to blame since warming temperatures are shrinking glaciers and making m unstable worldwide.

floodwater, mud and boulders roared down mountain along Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers, breaking dams, sweeping away bridges and forcing evacuation of many vills while turning countryside into what looked like an ash-colored moonscape. flood swept away a small hydroelectric project and damd a bigger one downstream on Dhauliganga. Flowing out of Himalayan mountains, two rivers meet before merging with Ganges River. power of roaring wall of water was first ticed by residents of multiple vills perched on valley slopes.

Rajeev Semwal heard a sound similar to rumbling clouds and n watched usually blue waters of Alaknanda turn muddy. “I understood disaster h indeed struck,” said Semwal, a resident of Tapovan vill in Uttarakhand state where power plant is located. Semwal’s bror-in-law and younger bror both worked at power plant. His younger bror was inside tunnel that was flooded and has t been heard from since.

Most of missing were people working on two projects, part of many plants government has been building on several rivers and ir tributaries in mountains of Uttarakhand state. ecologically sensitive Himalayan region is prone to flash floods and landslides. More than 6,000 people are believed to have been killed in floods in 2013 which were triggered by heaviest monsoon rains in deces.

(Ims Credit: AP)