Three dead, 150 missing in India river torrent disaster

Three people have been confirmed dead and at least 150 are missing in northern India after a broken glacier caused a major river surge that swept away bridges and roads, police say.

The massive burst of water tore through the Dhauliganga river valley, destroying everything in its path, videos taken by terrified residents show.

Breaking: A massive flood in Dhauli Ganga seen near Reni village, where some water bodies flooded and destroyed many river bankside houses due to cloudburst or breaching of the reservoir. Casualties feared. Hundreds of ITBP personnel rushed for rescue: ITBP pic.twitter.com/SuoE91JkY8

— Prasar Bharati News Services पी.बी.एन.एस. (@PBNS_India) February 7, 2021

Three bodies have been found and a desperate search is underway for more, police say, and efforts are underway to clear villages in the stricken region of Uttarakhand state.

“We have located at least three dead bodies on the river bed,” a police spokesperson in the state tells AFP. “Our last update puts the missing persons number at 150, and there are 16 or 17 persons trapped inside a tunnel.”

Most of those missing are at the Tapovan power plant next to a dam that was breached by the surge.

Emergency workers are desperately trying to reach about 17 people trapped inside a tunnel at the complex that has been filled with debris.