NE NEWS SERVICE
LAKHIMPUR KHERI (UP), FEB 8
Over 30 people from Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri who worked at a hydro project in Uttrarakhand’s Tapovan are missing after flash floods triggered by the breaking off a glacier caused extensive damage there.
The missing people belong to Nighasan tehsil of Lakhimpur Kheri district.
The glacier burst at Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district had triggered an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away hydroelectric stations on Sunday.
The report of them going missing surfaced when some of the rescued workers contacted their family members and told about the tragedy.
According to the kin of those missing, at least 34 people from various villages—15 from Ichhanagar; eight from Bhairampur; four from Babupurwa; three of Tikonia; and one each from Bhulanpur, Kadiya, Singahi and Mirjapur–are missing.
Nighasan Subdivisional Magistrate (SDM) Om Prakash Gupta had said on Sundat that the administration was not in a position to confirm the number of missing people till communication with the Uttarakhand government.
On Monday, Lakhimpur Kheri DM Shailendra Kumar Singh, along with SP Vijay Dhull, met family members of those missing.
The DM assured them to provide all aid and assistance.
Meanwhile, the office of the relief commissioner in Lucknow informed that it has started a state-level emergency operation centre to enable family members of the missing persons to speak to them.
People can register information about their missing family members on helpline 1070 and on WhatsApp number 9454411036, government sources said.
