Glacier burst near India-China border in Uttarakhand's Chamoli, no casualties, govt issues alert

No contact has so far been established with the area due to heavy snowfall in Chamoli district.

Picture credit: ANI

Gopeshwar: An avalanche occurred in an area close to the Niti valley near the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken cognizance of the incident and has promised to help the people.

Information was received about a part of a glacier collapsing beyond Sumna Chawki near Malari in the Niti valley, according to Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials.

No contact has so far been established with the area due to heavy snowfall, they added. A BRO official confirmed the sliding down of a glacier in the area, where labourers are engaged in road construction work.

They had rushed to the spot but are yet to assess the full extent of the damage caused by the avalanch, he said.

Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat tweeted about the incident, saying an alert has been issued and he is in constant touch with the BRO and the district administration for updates.

In another tweet, Rawat said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken immediate cognizance of the incident and assured the state of all help.

माननीय गृह मंत्री श्री @AmitShah जी ने नीति घाटी के सुमना में ग्लेशियर टूटने की सूचना का तत्काल संज्ञान लिया है। उन्होंने इस घटना को गंभीरता से लेते हुए उत्तराखंड को पूरी मदद देने का आश्वासन दिया है और आईटीबीपी को सतर्क रहने के निर्देश दिये है।

— Tirath Singh Rawat (@TIRATHSRAWAT) April 23, 2021

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said he is monitoring the situation closely. "Unfortunate that a disaster has struck Reni Village of Uttarakhand owing to a glacier burst on Dhauliganga river.

"I am monitoring the situation closely. CWC is on alert and a team led by a secretary level officer has taken charge of the situation," he wrote on Twitter.

Unfortunate that a disaster has struck Reni Village of Uttarakhand owing to a glacier burst on Dhauliganga river.

I am monitoring the situation closely. CWC is on alert and a team led by a secretary level officer has taken charge of the situation.

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) April 23, 2021

In February, a glacier burst killed nearly 80 people in Chamoli while many went missing.

(With agency inputs)