Garhwal on alert after lake breach

A red alert has been sounded in Garhwal region following the breach in a lake formed at Satopant in Alaknanda river, a tributary of Ganga between Badrinath and Mana in Chamoli district on Wednesday. According to Chamoli District Magistrate D S Garbayal, a glacier had blocked Alaknanda river between Badrinath and Mana, the last inhabited village on the China border. A breach occurred at around 7 pm in the lake formed by the glacier and raised the water-level of the river. The river was flowing eight to ten feet above normal, official sources said. A bridge near an Indo-Tibetan Border Police camp was washed away by the strong current of the river. State administration has warned the kanwarias thronging the Ganga river for the ongoing Kanwar mela to be cautious near the river bank. Chamoli District Magistrate D S Garbayal said the water has reached Joshimath in the district and has shown signs of receding.