As incessant rains continue to wreak havoc across Uttarakhand, an under-construction bridge near Narkota on Badrinath Highway has collapsed in the Rudraprayag district of the state.
As per sources, as many as nine to ten people have been buried under the rubble. Though 6 people among them have been rescued, 3 to 4 people, however, are still feared to be trapped under the debris.
A rescue operation, headed by personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Police and personnel from the local administration, is presently underway. It is pertinent to mention here that the bridge was being built under the Alvedar Project and was being constructed by the RCC company.
Meanwhile, apprising about the rescue operations earlier in the day, the Uttarakhand Police took to Twitter and wrote, "Eight people were buried after the centering of an under-construction bridge collapsed near Narkota on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway today. SDRF, Fire Service rescued 6 people and took them to the hospital. The bodies of 2 people who died in the accident were pulled out by cutting the bridge bar with a cutter machine."
आज ऋषिकेश-बद्रीनाथ राजमार्ग में नरकोटा के पास निर्माणाधीन पुल की सेंट्रिंग ढहने से 8 लोग दब गए थे। SDRF, फायर सर्विस द्वारा 6 लोगों का रेस्क्यू कर उन्हें अस्पताल पहुँचाया। हादसे में मृतक 2 लोगों के शवों को पुल की सरिया को कटर मशीन से काटकर बाहर निकाला गया।#RescueOperation pic.twitter.com/kdXVCu3MPv
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that rainfall activity is likely to increase in the North and the Northeast regions of India in the coming days, as the monsoon is moving northwards.
For July 20, the IMD has placed Uttarakhand on a Red Alert and its neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and the capital, Delhi on an Orange Alert.
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at a few isolated places is very likely over Uttarakhand on Wednesday July 20 till Saturday July 23. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are also very at isolated places in the state.
(This is a developing story. More details are awaited.)