26 people have been confirmed dead and at least 171 people are missing after portion of a Himalayan glacier fell into a river in northern India. This sent a disastrous avalanche of water, dust and rocks down the mountain gorge, which then crashed though a dam.
Rescue teams worked through the night to help locate survivors who may have been trapped under debris. It has been reported that most of the people who are missing were workers from a nearby hydroelectric project in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, which were both hit by the avalanche.
Footage that was captured shows a fast moving storm of water and rocks barreling down the narrow gorge that then smashed through the hydroelectric project and then continued to wipe out buildings, trees and people in its path.
Local police chief told CNN on Monday that 26 bodies had been recovered in the affected area. He then continued on saying that there were still 171 people missing, which included the 35 workers who are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel at the hydroelectric project.
On Sunday, rescue teams were able to get 12 people out alive from another smaller tunnel at the same site.
