U'khand: Five killed, two missing after heavy rains flatten houses

Pithoragarh: Five people, including three children, were killed and two others went missing after three houses collapsed in a village following heavy rains in Dharchula sub-division of the district in Uttarakhand, an official said on Monday.

The incident took place in Jumma village late Sunday night, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan, who rushed to the spot to supervise relief and rescue operations, said.

"Five bodies, including those of three children, have been recovered, while the search for two more still missing is underway," SSB commandant M P Singh said.

The deceased have been identified as Sanjana (15), Renu (11), Shivani (9) — all daughters of Joga Singh of Jumma village — and Sunita Devi and Parwati Devi. Jayamati Devi and Lal Singh who were injured have been admitted to Dharchula PHC, officials said.

The search teams are using sniffer dogs to trace Chander Singh and Hajari Devi, who are still missing, district disaster management officer Bhupendra Singh Mahar said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to Chauhan and Kumaon Commissioner Sushilk Kumar to assess the extent of damage caused by heavy rains in Jumma village.

He asked the officials to move the affected people to safe locations immediately and make adequate arrangements of food and medicines for them.

He also asked the Kumaon commissioner to ensure that the roads, including national highways blocked by landslide rubble in the region should be cleared at the earliest.

Dhami wanted to visit the spot himself, but could not do so due to bad weather. However, he said he will go there as soon as the weather clears.

Meanwhile in Telangana, four persons, including a newly married woman died, and a boy and woman were reported missing in separate rain-related incidents. Two women including a bride died in Vikarabad district after their car with four other occupants, including the groom, was swept away on Sunday night while the vehicle was crossing a bridge, with a nearby tank overflowing following heavy rains in the area, they said.

In a similar incident reported in Shankarpally, a 70-year-old man died after the car in which he was travelling was swept away on Sunday night while crossing a bridge which was overflowing with water from a stream which was in spate. Four other occupants of the car escaped while the vehicle along with the body of the elderly man in it was found on Monday, a police official said.

In another incident, a 25-year-old woman died in Rajapet mandal in neighbouring Yadadri-Bhongir district when she along with two others were crossing a flooded stream on a two-wheeler on Monday, police said.