10 workers from Himachal, including 7 from Rampur subdivision, missing in Uttarakhand flash floods

Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, February 9

Ten persons, including seven from Rampur subdivision of Shimla district, working in Chamoli district of Uttrakhand are missing, following flash flood caused by sliding of glacier in Joshimath.

Himachal Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj who was in Rampur today said that president of Shingla Gram panchayat informed about seven missing persons. He said that Shimla administration is in touch with its Chamoli counterpart and all efforts are being made to trace the missing persons.

Shimla Deputy Commissioner Aaditya Negi told The Tribune that seven missing persons were from Rampur subdivision of Shimla and majority of them were reportedly working in the tunnel of the Rishi Ganga Hydro Power Project in Chamoli and their whereabouts are not known.

Diwan Singh, Devender Singh, Kailash Chand, Ashish, Amit Kumar, Pawan Kumar and Rakesh Kumar, all from Rampur subdivision of Shimla district are missing and feared trapped in the tunnel of the project, Negi told The Tribune.

We are in constant touch with the district magistrate, Chamoli and number of missing persons could rise as information is still pouring in.

The district Disaster Management Authority, Chamoli, is keeping us updated about the rescue operations being carried out by the NDRF, ITBP and other agencies, he added.

The remaining three included Rakesh Kapoor, Gurmeet Verma working in Kundan Power Project and Jeet Singh Thakur.

The family members of the missing persons are in a state of shock and pinning hopes on the rescue teams.