Were 'warning signs' ignored by the state authority? Was that the reason why the Uttarakhand avalanche couldn’t be averted? Take a look at the video. Eighteen people died and more than 200 people are missing a day after flash floods in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, caused by a glacier burst in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The resulting avalanche and deluge in the Alaknanda river system washed away two hydroelectric stations and five bridges.