U'khand glacier disaster: 18 bodies recovered, 202 missing as rescue efforts intensify

Eighteen bodies have been recovered and 202 are still missing after glacier burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, officials said on Monday, as multiple ncies joined hands to rescue at least 30 workers trapped in a tunnel at a power project site.

With more bodies being recovered, death toll touched 18 and could go higher, officials in State Emergency Operation Centre here said, a day after a portion of Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks at Joshimath. It triggered an avalanche and a deluge that rippled through Alaknanda river system in upper reaches of ecologically fragile Himalayas.

202 still missing include those working at hydel power project sites as well as villrs nearby whose homes were washed away with force of raging waters, officials said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said saving lives and extending all help to families of deceased is state government's priority.

Union ministers Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and R K Singh as well as Pauri MP Tirath Singh Rawat, Uttarakhand minister Dhan Singh Rawat also met affected families in disaster-hit Tapovan and Raini and assured m of all support.     

Two power projects – NTPC’s 480 MW Tapovan-Vishnug project and 13.2 MW Rishi Ganga Hydel Project – were extensively damd with scores of labourers caught in tunnels as waters came rushing in.

Rescue efforts in affected areas near Joshimath, about 295 km from here, gained momentum with teams of Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) coordinating to rescue 30-35 people feared trapped in a tunnel at Tapovan-Vishnug project.

Sniffer dogs and heavy mechanical equipment, including bulldozers and JCBs, were deployed in areas to aid rescue workers. While Indian Air Force teams left for affected areas to ramp up relief efforts, personnel from multiple forces worked through night.

State Emergency Operation Centre said  27 people were rescued alive. Of se, 12 were saved from smaller of two tunnels at Tapovan-Vishnug project site and 15 from Rishi Ganga site.     

    Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar ded that efforts were focused on rescuing 30-35 laborers trapped in a 250-meter tunnel at Tapovan.

Two vills are cut off and essentials are being supplied to m.  work was complicated by fact that tunnel is slightly curved, making it difficult to clear slush, debris, and silt blocking it.

entire landscape was colored a sandy grey, many structures swept away and buried under piles of silt.

"Our teams worked overnight to rescue about 30 workers who are trapped in tunnel. Specialized equipment for such operations has been deployed. We are hopeful we will able to rescue everyone," ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey told PTI in Delhi.

re is a huge amount of debris inside tunnel. About 80 meters inside tunnel is cleared and accessible, and it looks like about 100 more meters of debris will have to be cleared, he ded.

Pandey said nearly 300 ITBP personnel are currently deployed at site.

Ar official said 34 people are estimated to be trapped in 'he race tunnel' or HRT.ITBP ditional Director General (Western Command) M S Rawat also reached spot Monday morning to take stock of situation and interacted with officials and ors working at site.

In a video provided by force, a team of senior officials was seen analyzing tunnel's map to find best way of approach. tunnel has only one entry, an official said.

Teams of NDRF h reached late Sunday night and were seen using shovels to clear tunnel's approach. force also used canine squs to help rescuers detect traces of life under debris.

With clarity on what led to disaster and experts pointing to climate change, scientists also heed to Chamoli to understand what h happened.

Some teams from Army, including from Medical Corps, have also reached disaster spot, a senior official supervising operation said.

Three of those rescued on Sunday evening were mitted to ITBP hospital at Joshimath, nearly 25 km from Tapovan power project site, as y were feeling uneasy, officials said. y are stable w.

As rescue efforts continued on a war footing, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said United Nations stands rey to contribute to ongoing rescue and assistance efforts in Uttarakhand if necessary.

“ Secretary-General is deeply sdened by reported loss of life and dozens missing following glacier burst and subsequent flooding in Uttarakhand state, India, on Sunday,” said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Guterres.

Expressing solidarity with those affected by glacier burst, Congress leer Rahul Gandhi said whole country is with people of state and it is important that relief operations are t hindered in next few days.