At least 15 people, including a policeman and three home guards, died due to electrocution after a transformer exploded on the banks of the Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Wednesday, PTI reported. The incident occured at the site of the Namami Gange project.


"Around 15 people, including a police sub-inspector and five home guards, have died. Investigation is underway. Prima facie reveals that there was current on the railing and the investigation will reveal the further details," ANI quoted Additional Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, V Murugesan, as saying.


DGP Ashok Kumar told ABP News that the in-charge of the police outpost on the Badrinath Highway also died in the incident. Sources told ABP News that work was going on in Chamoli on an under-construction project under the Namami Gange program.



Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.


"It is a sad incident. District administration, police, and SDRF have reached the spot. The injured are being referred to higher centre and are being shifted to AIIMS Rishikesh via helicopter," Dhami said.


Incessant Rainfall In Uttarakhand, Alerts Issued


The tragedy comes as Uttarakhand has been hit by heavy rains, with water levels increasing in rivers. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued red and orange alerts in Uttarakhand. A flood alert has been issued for Chamoli, Haridwar, Rudraprayag areas. 


The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been told to remain on high alert.


A flood-like situation is prevailing in around 70 villages of Laksar, Khanpur, Roorkee, Bhagwanpur and Haridwar tehsils due to incessant rains in the past few days.


On Monday, the Ganga crossed the danger mark in Devprayag and the warning level in Haridwar due to heavy release of water from the dam on the Alaknanda river, PTI reported. The jump in the water level of the Ganga was due to the release of 2,000-3,000 cusecs of water from the dam of the GVK hydroelectric project built on the Alaknanda river.


READ | Rain In Uttarakhand Triggers Landslides, Ganga Breaches Danger Mark, Orange Alert In 13 Districts


On Tuesday night, a vehicle and a bridge got washed away in Nachti drain on the Lipulekh border in Pithoragarh district, breaking the connection of Om Parvat Kalapani with Gunji, ANI reported.


Amid the increase in water levels in the drain on Tuesday night, the road from Gujin towards Kalapani has been also destroyed.


On Monday, a woman and a girl, who went to bathe in the east Nayar river, were washed away in its strong current in Uttarakhand's Pauri district.