Four persons were killed and 10 others, including six soldiers, were feared dead after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district on Monday, police said.
The disaster occurred near Malpa, washing away 14 persons. Four bodies have been recovered but the six soldiers and four others remained untraced. A military official said:
One JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer) and five others have gone missing. Two vehicles are also missing.
The incident took place near a Shiva temple at Malpa.
The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage has been halted for now. Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel have been rushed to the spot for rescue and relief operations.
Authorities in Nepal have been asked to help in the search operations. The six soldiers were washed away near the Mangti canal along with some tents and mules. Heavy rains have been lashing the hill state for some time now, causing landslides, flattening houses and damaging bridges.
(Love your mother tongue? This Independence Day, tell The Quint why and how you love your bhasha. You may even win a BOL t-shirt! Sing, write, perform, spew poetry – whatever you like – in your mother tongue. Send us your BOL at bol@thequint.com or WhatsApp it to 9910181818.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)