Uttarakhand disaster: Dalai Lama condoles deaths; offers prayers for the missing

 

Dharamsala: The Dalai Lama today offered his condolences to those who have lost loved ones as a result of the recent glacial burst in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India.

 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand to tell him that how sad he is about the loss of life, and also how concerned he is about those who are still missing, as a result of the recent glacial burst in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

 

“I offer my condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and pray for them. I also pray for the safety and well being of those who are still missing," he wrote.

 

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“I understand that both the Central and the State Governments are engaged in rescue work and are doing their utmost to provide relief to people affected by this calamity. As a gesture of solidarity with the people of Uttarakhand, I have asked the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation towards the relief and rescue efforts.” he said.

 

Rescue efforts by multi-agency security personnel were intensified on Wednesday with the help of drones and remote-sensing equipment to locate those trapped inside the Tapovan tunnel.

 

Meanwhile, scientists are investigating what caused the glacier to break — possibly an avalanche or a release of accumulated water.

 

Experts say climate change may be to blame since warming temperatures are shrinking glaciers and making them unstable worldwide.