Uttarakhand glacier disaster: 58 bodies recovered so far during rescue ops, 31 identified

DIG SDRF Riddhim Agarwal on Tuesday informed that out of the total 58 bodies recovered, 31 have been identified during rescue operation in Tapovan tunnel. All 11 bodies retrieved from the Tapovan tunnel till now have been identified. Dog squad along with SDRF, NDRF are searching for missing people in Rani village, Tapovan, and surrounding areas. Also, a team of NDRF is running a search operation along the Alaknanda River in Vishnuprayag.

31 dead bodies identified so far

Chamoli District Magistrate Swati Bhadauria on Tuesday took stock of the rescue operations that are underway in Chamoli. She gave instructions to the authorities to conduct search operations at 4 sites. Also, Bhadauria met the families and the relatives of the missing and the deceased people. According to the Uttarakhand Police, the death toll in the glacier burst in Chamoli has gone up to 58 as a total of 11 bodies are recovered from the Tapovan tunnel, whereas 146 people are still missing.

Uttarakhand Irrigation Minister Satpal Maharaj had earlier said, "All angles (related to the Chamoli glacier burst) should be investigated. We will form a department so that we can monitor & study all the glaciers through satellite. We are concerned about how glaciers are melting creating a tidal wave in the mountains. The plutonium pack that was kept to monitor China’s movement is no longer there. We request the government to investigate the pack too."

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UPCL loses Rs 30 lakhs in disaster

Energy Corporation has lost about Rs 30 lakhs in the disaster in Rishiganga. Work is still underway to restore the power supply in frontier village Pang. According to Energy Executive Engineer Kailash Kumar, about three km from Tapovan to Pang village, the power line was broken, causing the supply of Pang village to come to a standstill. 32 electric poles and three transformers were swept away in the disaster. Roads and footways have been broken from Raini to Pang village, due to which workers have been relocated from the area by air services. Transformers, electric poles and wires have also been transported to the area. After the disaster, employees and labourers are busy laying lines in the difficult conditions created in the valley. The work of laying 11 kV power lines is underway. Power will be restored in the villages soon. Kumar informed that the administration has distributed solar lights in the village. Also, a generator has been installed by the authorities. 

Earlier this morning, Uttarakhand DGP said, "I clarify that all rescue ops in Joshimath, Raini & Tapovan areas will continue, be it search, rescue or relief operation. I've said that digging out of bodies from under debris should get completed in 3-4 days. But ops will go on until the last person is located". 

Glacier burst in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district

After a glacier breach in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, severe flooding occurred in Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers. NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project were extensively damaged in the disaster. The heavy flood damaged the pulls, bridges, and the Rishiganga hydro project. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued rescue operations at Tapovan tunnel in Chamoli district on a ninth day following the flash floods. Also, the relief forces are providing ration to the villages that have been cut due to glacier breach in Chamoli.

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