Newly formed lake in Joshimath no longer a danger zone, says Uttarakhand DGP

Uttarakhand Director-General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar on Saturday informed that the lake formed near Raini village in Joshimath after a glacier breach in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand is 'not a danger zone'. A team of SDRF has extended the search till Haridwar as a body was recovered in Maithana yesterday, Kumar briefed. 

“The SDRF team visited the lake, formed near Raini village at a height of 4,200 meters, yesterday. Water is continuously discharging from the lake and it is not in a danger zone. The team has also found a place to construct a helipad near Raini. We have extended the search till Haridwar after a body was recovered in Maithana yesterday. Progress on all fronts. Connectivity has resumed. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) working on Bailey bridge. There are SDRF and ITBP relief camps. District administration also taking care of people’s needs."

Connectivity back in Chamoli

Col Brijendra S Soni from BRO informed, "Bailey bridge is the fastest we can launch. Subsequently, we will make a permanent bridge for connectivity in Chamoli. The bridge is an engineering challenge. We will launch it soon." The team of BRO has constructed a 200-foot Bailey bridge as a substitute in affected areas of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli. Soon, the team will make a permanent bridge for the connectivity in Chamoli. 

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Search operation continues

Chamoli District Magistrate (DM) Swati S Bhadoria on Saturday informed, "The search operation for missing persons is on. As per NTPC, excavation has been till 136m inside the tunnel. Excavators are also placed at Raini village after a body was found there yesterday.” Bhadoria added that 38 bodies have been recovered so far from the different regions of the Chamoli district. 

After a glacier breach in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, severe flooding occurred in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers. The heavy flood damaged the pulls, bridges, and the Rishiganga hydro project. The BRO has constructed new temporary pulls for the connectivity in Chamoli. As of now, 38 bodies have been recovered from different regions and 204 people are still missing. 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 the seventh day following the flash floods. 

(with inputs from ANI)

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