NEW DELHI, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A massive fire has broken out in the forests of India's northern hilly state of Uttarakhand, as people in the state's famous tourist destination Nainital faced breathing problems with dense smoke engulfing the residential areas.

The fire has been raging for more than 24 hours, and has destroyed over 33 hectares of forest land so far. Pine and oak trees form the majority of vegetation in these forests.

Personnel of the Indian Navy and the Indian Army have been called in for fire-fighting. Helicopters have been pressed into service to douse the flames. According to media reports, boating activities in the Naini Lake in Nainital have been suspended for tourists.

Uttarakhand's Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said intense fire-fighting work was undertaken to control its further spread. He also said several persons were detained by the local police for their alleged role in causing the fire incidents. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)