A metal bridge was swept away in seconds as a flash flood tore through a valley.
Terrifying footage shows a torrent of muddy water thundering downstream and gushing through gaps in the structure.
The structure was ripped from the adjoining road and carried away like a toy, along with rocks and debris.
READ MORE: Shocking moment dozens of shops collapse into water as flood devastates community
Luckily, there were no vehicles on the Bailey-type bridge at the time, with a truck and an SUV having turned away from the unfolding disaster just in time.
The dramatic scenes unfolded in India’s Niti Valley on Monday (10 August) evening, cutting off more than a dozen remote villages.
The incident followed heavy, incessant rain across Uttarakhand state since Sunday (9 August) night, as reported by Need To Know.
Chamoli District Police said in a statement: “The Tamak drain is overflowing, damaging the bridge built over the drain and disrupting traffic beyond Malari.
“Currently, there is no report of any loss of life.
“Teams from the police, administration, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been dispatched to the scene. The situation is being continuously monitored.”
The force added: “Due to heavy rainfall in the Niti Valley, the water level of the Alaknanda River has risen.
“From a safety perspective, police teams are appealing to people living along the riverbank to move to safe locations through loudspeakers/announcements.”
Since the statement was issued, a driver with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has reportedly gone missing, with search operations underway.
Authorities are assessing the extent of the damage and losses.
READ MORE: World Cup airport flooded with poo just weeks before tournament
