Dehradun: Forty three people have died in a landslide in Pithoragarh in Uttaranchal. Many people were trapped in their homes when the landslide happened and dozens are missing.
Poor weather hampered the rescue operation. Chief Minister Ramesh Pokriyal visited the district. He said relief work was under way.
According to an official report, about 100 villages in Uttarakhand are prone to natural disasters.
The report by state's Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre (DMMC) said that about 35 villages have been found unsafe in Chamoli district where as in Pithoragarh 23 villages are prone to natural disasters like landslides and earthquakes.
Both Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts are seismically highly sensitive and fall in Zone-V.
Official sources said the report has been forwarded to the state government, which is working out a plan to rehabilitate these villages elsewhere in the state.