At least 42 die as rains batter Uttarakhand; many feared trapped

Uttarakhand reported at least 42 rain-related deaths on Tuesday with many people still trapped under the rubble after landslides, while Uttar Pradesh saw four fatalities, even as heavy downpours in Kerala filled several dams to the brim and left multiple districts on alert.

“5 missing in #uttarakhandrains. Rs 4 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased, those who lost their houses will be given Rs 1.09 lakh,” Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told news agency ANI.

Five deaths were reported on Monday. Eleven deaths in rain related-incidents were reported on Tuesday.

Of the fresh deaths, at least 18 were reported from Nainital, three from Almora and one each from Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar districts.

Nainital was cut off from the rest of the state with three roads leading to the popular tourist spot blocked due to a series of landslides. The NDRF has deployed 15 teams in the state and has rescued over 300.

3 shutters of dam in Idukki opened

Shutters of Cheruthoni dam, of the Idukki reservoir in Kerala, were opened to create more storage capacity in anticipation of the heavy rainfall predicted in its catchment area over the next two days. (PTI)

Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.

As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.

Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.

Digital Editor