Glacier burst: IMD says no adverse weather over affected areas on Feb 7, 8

The MeT department Sunday said no adverse weather events are expected over Chamoli, Tapovan and Joshimath in Uttarakhand on February 7 and 8, in a relief for the area hit by a major glacier burst.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) Additional Director General Anand Sharma said Chamoli, Tapovan and Joshimath are likely to witness dry weather during the two days.

“No snowfall/rainfall is likely on February 7-8,” the IMD said in its special weather advisory for the state.

However, light rainfall/snowfall is likely in the northern parts of the Chamoli district on February 9-10, the advisory added.

Over 150 labourers working at a power project in Tapovan-Reni are feared dead, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police spokesperson said after a part of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off at Joshimath in Chamoli Sunday.

The glacier burst led to a massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga river and caused large-scale devastation in the upper reaches of the ecologically fragile Himalayas.

Officials said three bodies have been recovered so far and a massive relief and rescue operation is underway.