Dehradun, February 21: Ever after two weeks since the tragic glacier burst in Uttrakhand's Chamoli, the rescue operations are still underway. The relief work in Joshimath entered 14th day on Sunday. The total death toll of the incident stands at 67 with three more dead bodies being recovered Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site. Uttarakhand Glacier Burst: Death Toll Rises to 54 After 3 More Bodies Recovered From Tapovan Tunnel.
The search operation for over a 100 missing people is being executed and the dewatering of the Tapovan tunnel continues. "Water level of the river is likely to rise. We are installing a gauge to measure its depth and water level," Aditya P Singh, Deputy Commandant, NDRF told news agency ANI. Uttarakhand Glacier Burst: 166 Metres of Tapovan Tunnel Cleared by Rescuers; 61 Bodies Recovered, Over 140 People Still Missing.
Teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are jointly carrying the rescue operations at the tunnel hit by the flash floods. As per reports, the personnel engaged in rescue work were able evacuate area around 166 metre inside the Tapovan tunnel by Friday night.
Meanwhile, Swati S Bhadauria, District Magistrate of Chamoli has reportedly asked the NTPC excavators to divert the course of Dhauli Ganga to the other side so that its water does not flow through the barrage into Tapovan tunnel and avoid any damage or hindrance to the ongoing rescue operations.
In a tragic incident, a glacier had bursted in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, February 7. It led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project which has killed more than 50 people while several are still missing.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2021 11:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).