Cloudburst hits Uttarakhand; Five dead, many families buried under rubble

Five people were killed and three went missing as heavy rains and cloudbursts wreaked havoc in various districts of Uttarakhand early Friday, triggering landslides that left about 30-40 families buried under mounds of rubble and damaged houses, officials said.

- AGENCY

A house and a cowshed were buried under landslide debris in Mopata village of Chamoli district, trapping a couple and leaving another injured, Chamoli’s District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said.

The missing couple was identified as Tara Singh and his wife, while the injured couple was identified as Vikram Singh and his wife, Tiwari said.

Incessant rain and landslides in Basukedaar area of Rudraprayag district have caused heavy damage in more than half a dozen villages, officials said.

In Dungar village of Chenagadh, some people are missing in the landslide debris and floods. The same situation has been reported in Jaula-Bhadeth village, where some people are reported missing in the floods.