At least two people were killed after a dam breached late Tuesday night and washed away several houses in Chiplun taluka of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. At least 20 others are reported missing. The breach of the dam occurred around 10 pm Tuesday after very heavy rains over the last two days.
At least two people were killed after a dam breached late Tuesday night and washed away several houses in Chiplun taluka of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra. At least 20 others are reported missing. The breach of the dam occurred around 10 pm Tuesday after very heavy rains over the last two days.
Two bodies were recovered in the early hours of Wednesday, said officials, adding they feared the number of people missing could increase.
At least seven villages downstream the dam have been cut off, district police officials said.
As per the information given by the Ratnagiri police, the Tiware dam on a rivulet in Chiplun had started developing cracks after Tuesday evening. Before villagers downstream could be alerted, the dam developed a rupture flooding the villages and hamlets within minutes.
At least 12 houses from a hamlet adjacent to the dam were washed away in which 22 people were initially reported missing. Teams from local police, district disaster management cell, fire brigade along with local villagers started the searching for missing villagers. Bodies of two adult males were recovered in the early hours of Wednesday.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been called to the area. The NDRF team stationed in neighbouring Sindhudurg district and those from the Pune headquarters of 5th Battalion of the NDRF were moved for the spot late on Tuesday night.
As the teams reach the spot, they will join the ongoing search and rescue operation, an NDRF officer said.
Two bodies were recovered in the early hours of Wednesday, said officials, adding they feared the number of people missing could increase.
At least seven villages downstream the dam have been cut off, district police officials said.
As per the information given by the Ratnagiri police, the Tiware dam on a rivulet in Chiplun had started developing cracks after Tuesday evening. Before villagers downstream could be alerted, the dam developed a rupture flooding the villages and hamlets within minutes.
At least 12 houses from a hamlet adjacent to the dam were washed away in which 22 people were initially reported missing. Teams from local police, district disaster management cell, fire brigade along with local villagers started the searching for missing villagers. Bodies of two adult males were recovered in the early hours of Wednesday.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been called to the area. The NDRF team stationed in neighbouring Sindhudurg district and those from the Pune headquarters of 5th Battalion of the NDRF were moved for the spot late on Tuesday night.
As the teams reach the spot, they will join the ongoing search and rescue operation, an NDRF officer said.