The Rishiganga energy project, in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, was damaged by the floods. Those who live along the Alaknanda River were encouraged to flee to safety, but remain calm.
The state’s chief minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, said 140 people were missing from the state-owned energy company, NTPC, while 17 were missing from the Rishiganga project.
“Two bodies have already been recovered,” Rawat tweeted. At least 600 Indo-Tibetan military and border police helped with rescue operations, he added.
Earlier Sunday, India’s Interior Minister Amit Shah said teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to deal with the disaster.
Local police said they rescued 16 people trapped at the nearby Tapovan dam. “A disaster was reported in the Raini village at around 10:45 am (12:15 pm ET) affecting two dams in Chamoli,” said Rawat, who asked people not to spread rumors using old flood videos.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a message of support after the disaster. “I am constantly monitoring the unfortunate situation in Uttarakhand,” he tweeted.
“India is on the side of Uttarakhand and the nation prays for the safety of everyone there. I have been talking to senior officials continuously and getting updates on NDRF deployment, rescue work and relief operations.”