Key takeaways:
- At least 41 people have been killed and thousands displaced after a glacial lake overflowed and burst through a dam in India’s Himalayan north.
- Cars, homes, and bridges have been washed away in the floodwaters, and the death toll is expected to rise as the search continues.
- The disaster has highlighted the need for better infrastructure and more effective disaster management in the region, and the Indian government has promised to provide assistance to those affected by the floods.
At least 41 people have been killed and thousands displaced after a glacial lake overflowed and burst through a dam in India’s Himalayan north.
The flood began shortly after midnight on Wednesday when the waters of the glacial lake overflowed, cracking open Sikkim State’s biggest hydroelectric dam and cascading through towns in the valley below. Intense rain and a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that struck nearby Nepal are believed to have contributed to the disaster.
Hundreds of rescuers have been searching through slushy debris and fast-flowing, icy water in search of survivors. Cars, homes, and bridges have been washed away in the floodwaters.
The death toll is expected to rise as the search continues. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in relief camps.
The disaster has highlighted the need for better infrastructure and more effective disaster management in the region. This is not the first time the area has been hit by a natural disaster, with nearly 50 people dying in flash floods and landslides in August in nearby Himachal Pradesh.
The Indian government has promised to provide assistance to those affected by the floods.
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