Rainfall and landslides cause 17 deaths in Uttarakhand

Seven persons, including a woman were killed, when three houses were buried in a landslide following heavy showers in the wee hours of the day, taking the toll to 24 in rain-related incidents in two days in Uttarakhand.

The incident occurred around 2 am in Kathbangla area in the city. Rains triggered a landslide in the hills and the rubble fell on the three houses occupied by different families, a police official said. Seven bodies including that of a woman have been pulled out of the debris of the houses, Rajpur police station SHO Rajesh Sah said, adding that the victims were sleeping when the mishap occurred.

A woman with critical injuries has also been rescued from the spot and admitted to the Doon hospital, he said. There is no possibility of any more bodies trapped in the rubble of the houses, he said.

Seventeen persons were killed in separate rain related incidents in Pauri, Dehradun and Pithoragarh district of the state yesterday.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the loss of lives due to heavy rains in Uttarakhand. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives due to heavy rains in Uttarakhand and extends his condolences to families of the deceased,” said a government statement.