Snowslide, not glacier burst, might have led to disaster: CM Trivendra Rawat

New Delhi: The disastrous calamity that hit Uttarkahand on Sunday might have been triggered by abrupt sliding down of millions of tonnes of snow from a hill, rather than a glacier burst, said Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat.

Quoting scientists, CM Rawat said that the areas where avalanches struck on Sunday was not prone to such activities.

He said ISRO officials showed him pictures in which no glacier is visible at the place where the burst started, but only a naked hill can be seen.

Something is visible on the top of it, he said, adding it might have been the trigger point from where the huge amount of snow slid down, causing the flashflood in the Rishiganga and Dhauli Ganga rivers.

Don’t build anti-development narrative over calamity

CM Rawat appealed to people to not make the tragedy an occasion for building an “anti-development narrative”, as he left for the flood-hit areas of Chamoli for an on-the-spot assessment of relief and rescue operations.

I am leaving for Joshimath and will be spending night there. Tomorrow I plan to visit the affected areas and will also meet people. Our relief and rescue operations are continuing in full swing and we are doing best to save lives. #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/zGyEY2Bzjy

— Trivendra Singh Rawat (@tsrawatbjp) February 8, 2021

Relief & rescue operations in full swing

Relief and rescue operations are on in full swing in disaster hit areas. The number of missing people has also gone up to 203 after many people are also reported to be missing from nearby areas. Twenty bodies have been recovered so far.

An avalanche near Uttarakhand’s Tapovan on Sunday morning damaged a part of an under-construction hydropower project, which comes under the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

“While rescue operations are on, the situation is being monitored continuously with the help of district administration and likely loss or damage caused is being assessed. Appropriate insurance cover is available for the loss/damage caused,” the NTPC said in a press release.