On cam: Swollen river sweeps away bridge after flash flood in Uttarakhand's Chamoli

A Border Road Organisation (BRO) personnel was swept away in a flash flood at Tamaknala, located about 45km from Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, on Monday evening. The incident occurred when a sudden rise in water level in a stream swept through the area. A Bailey bridge constructed over the stream also washed away, disrupting connectivity to 16 villages along the Jyotirmath-Malari motor road.

The State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force have been dispatched to the spot, while relief and rescue operations are underway. The local administration, police, and other departments are involved in the rescue efforts. Among the vehicles affected, a Scorpio, a Bolero camper, and another vehicle were swept away when the bridge collapsed; the Scorpio driver, identified as Naik Pankaj Kumar, was also swept away and a search operation is ongoing.

Chamoli superintendent of police Surjeet Panwar informed the public about the situation, stating that rescue operations are being carried out cautiously due to heavy rain and darkness. The Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has taken note of the incident and instructed officials to intensify vigilance in vulnerable areas. Dhami emphasized the need for top priority to be given to relief and rescue operations and directed that the damaged bridge does not hinder the supply of essential commodities like ration, food, medicines, and other necessities to nearby villages.

Vehicular movement towards Malari on the Jyotirmath-Malari road has been halted as a precautionary measure. Authorities have advised people to stay away from affected and vulnerable areas and avoid traveling on the route until the situation stabilizes. The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) is monitoring the situation in Chamoli and other susceptible regions in Uttarakhand around the clock.

Authorities have also alerted companies operating hydropower projects in the area and deployed police personnel for security at the site and nearby locations.