NEW DELHI: A bridge over the Tamak drain beyond Malari in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district was swept away after the drain overflowed amid a strong water current, disrupting traffic in the area on Monday.No casualties have been reported so far.Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to prioritise relief and rescue efforts, ensure the safety of people in vulnerable areas and maintain supplies of essential commodities to affected villages through alternative routes, if needed.

Police, district administration, SDRF and NDRF teams have been deployed to the spot, while authorities continue to monitor the situation.

"There is a Tamak Nala, and a very strong surge of water occurred there this evening at 5.30pm. A Bailey bridge at the site was washed away; BRO officials and staff were present in the immediate vicinity. A BRO vehicle and its driver have gone missing," news agency ANI quoted Chamoli additional district magistrate (ADM) Vivek Prakash saying."A search operation is underway, and an SDRF team has been dispatched to the site. About 15 or 16 villages are located on the other side of the bridge; we are making urgent efforts to restore connectivity so that services can be resumed by tomorrow," he added.