Landslide kills six of family in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Six members of a family were buried alive on Thursday after a landslide triggered by heavy rain flattened their house at Lohardobha village under Dhari block in Nainital district. A family of seven had perished in similar circumstances at Bhikona village in Chamoli district on Wednesday.
Deputy inspector general of police (Kumaon range) G N Goswami said Hayat Ram (54), his wife Anandi Devi (48) and their four daughters aged between two and ten years were having breakfast at about 6.30am when a substantial portion of an under-construction road fell on the house, crushing them to death.
Nainital superintendent of police Sadanand Date said the couple’s son Vinod survived since he had gone out of the village.
Chief minister Vijay Bahuguna announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed.