Multiple landslides block national highway, at least 3 buried – Uttarakhand, India

Multiple landslides struck parts of northern India's Uttarakhand state on Sunday and Monday, July 26 and 27, which cut off a national highway and buried at least three persons in separate incidents. Rescue operations are underway for the missing victims.

In Dharcula town, heavy rains on Sunday night triggered a landslide, burying two people under muck at the Dhamigaon village.

In a separate disaster, a woman was buried under debris following a mudslide in Gothi village, Munsiyari, on Monday morning.

"The district control room received the information about the Dhamigaon incident on Monday morning from a villager after which rescue teams were sent to the spot," said Vijay Jogdande, the district magistrate of Pithoragarh.

According to local reports, Pithoragarh is the worst-affected district in the hill.

Rescue operations are ongoing to search for the victims, aged 55 and 30, Jogdande added.

Elsewhere in the state, another landslide buried an unidentified woman under debris that fell from uphill.

"She had gone out to collect cow dung when suddenly the debris fell and buried her. Efforts are on to search her body," said Pithoragarh district information officer, Girija Shankar Joshi.

In Chamoli district, a massive landslide blocked the Badrinath Highway on Monday morning. No injuries were reported.

A video of the event showed a huge chunk of land sliding down a highway, with a huge storm of dust rising as debris fell and blocked the road.

The highway connects Gangotri to Uttarkashi. Traffic has been affected due to debris, but authorities said clearing operations are underway.

Uttarakhand has received intense downpour in the past few days. Last week, a cloudburst killed a dozen people and damaged several houses in Jhula village.

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