Uttarakhand glacier melts and bursts dam eighteen dead

18 People are dead and 200 missing after a Himalayan glacier fell into a river and triggering huge flood in Northern India. The floodwaters bursts open a dam and a deluge of water rushed through a valley in the state of Uttarakhand. Most missing are believed to workers from two hydropower plants in the area. Hundreds of troops, paramilitary and military helicopters were deployed in the region to help with rescue efforts.

According to Uttarakhand police, an avalanche struck at about 05:30GMT ( 11😊) local time) on Sunday, destroying a dam known as the Rishiganga Hydroelectric Project and catapulted water along the Dhauliganga river damaging another power project downstream in the Tapovan area that connected 13 villages. Helicopters dropped food packets to some of the affected villages.

According to experts, one possibility is that massive ice blocks broke off the glacier due to a temperature rise releasing a huge amount of water causing avalanched bringing down rocks and mud.