WEBVTT 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 REPORTER: We start with the latest on our breaking news, India fearing dozens 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of people are dead after part of a Himalayan glacier collapsed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It has sent a torrent of water rushing down a river where a hydroelectric 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 power station and several villages are positioned. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Several communities have been put on high alert for flooding, and people 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are being evacuated further downstream. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have a look at it on the map, we're talking very Northern parts of India here, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 up through close to the Himalayas, obviously. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is Rishiganga, which is one of the rivers which have been affected. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And as the map swings around you'll get an idea, first of all, of the proximity of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the Himalayas there from where the glacier has broken off, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then as you come down the Rishiganga River, we find, uh, one smaller dam there, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then further down a large hydroelectric project further downstream 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in one of the other rivers, I've just lost it at the moment-- no, there it is. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Uh, coming down here as well, the Tapovan Mandir. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, a lot of villagers and, as we said, two big hydroelectric projects are in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the path of all of that water. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Elizabeth Puranam is our correspondent in New Delhi, she's on the line just now. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What more are you hearing this hour, Liz? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ELIZABETH: Hello Kamal, so, what we are hearing is that this glacial burst in the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 state of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district has triggered the avalanche 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of massive flooding along the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga Rivers. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Um, it's forced the emergency evacuation of thousands of people from surrounding 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 areas, damaged homes, and, um, the nearby Rishiganga powerplant. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A local official has told Indian media that 100 to 150 people may have been 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 killed in the flash floods. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Um, border patrol officials have also told Indian media that they fear 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 there will be casualties because some waterbodies flooded and destroyed many 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 homes on the riverbank, and we can see pictures of a massive flood, a torrent 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of water and debris moving through the Dhauliganga River. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [unintelligible] disaster response force has said that more than 150 laborers 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 working at the Rishiganga power project, which was hit by floods, are missing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Representatives of the power project told disaster response that they're not able to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 contact those workmen at the project site, and the authorities are also worried 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 about the safety. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There are a number of ongoing road and rail projects in the area and authorities 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are worried about the safety of, um, the laborers who are working 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on those projects. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 REPORTER: Any word, I know it's early days Liz, but any word on rescue efforts? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is a remote part of India, getting there must be pretty difficult. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ELIZABETH: Yes, and they're very much under way. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the state leader Pushkar Dhami tweeted that the district administration police 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 department disaster management has been ordered to deal with the disaster. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Um, we know that hundreds of Indo-Tibetan border police personnel have been rushed 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to carry out rescue operations. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Another government minister has said that as well as the, um, hundreds of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Indian-Tibetan border police, national disaster response force teams are 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 being rushed from this [unintelligible]. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 More are being deployed by Indian air force, helicopter. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And an alert has also been sounded for all downstream, uh, districts from Chamoli 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 including the city- major cities of Rishikesh and Haridwar. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The people there have been warned against visiting riverbanks. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Um, the worlds largest gathering, a Hindu festival called Kumbh Mela 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 has actually been taking place in Hardiwar over the past few weeks, this is where 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 people bathe in the Ganges River during the festival, and so authorities 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 will be dealing with more people than normal in and around Hardiwar 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 at this time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 REPORTER: Elizabeth Puranam with the latest on this news coming out of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Northern India where a glacier has broken off the Himalayas, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 water rushing down through those valleys in the region. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you, Liz.