Rescue operations underway. Uttarakhand glacier burst Live Updates: In the aftermath of the Uttarakhand glacier burst, 19 bodies have been recovered till now, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said on Monday. As of this morning, 32 people from the first tunnel and 121 people from the second were missing and rescue operations to recover people still trapped in the tunnels are underway.
A multi-agency rescue operation including — Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) — is in full swing to release people still stuck in the tunnels. The forces have cleared 90 meter stretch of debris in the big tunnel at Tapovan till now, with about 100 meters of clearing still left to do.
To take stock of the situation, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Monday visited Chamoli district and said that saving lives was their first priority. Speaking to media persons, Rawat said that they would be successful in clearing the entire debris stretch by today evening.
Yesterday, Rawat announced Rs 4 lakh financial assistance each for the families of those killed in the mishap.
The glacier burst took place at the Rishiganga power project after a portion of Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Tapovan area of Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Sunday morning and damaged the Rishiganga dam on Alaknanda river.
ITBP carrying out rescue operation in Uttarakhand. (Photo: ITBP)
ITBP personnel rescue workers from tunnel. (Photo: ITBP)
To take stock of the situation, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Monday visited Chamoli district and said that saving lives was their first priority. Speaking to media persons, Rawat said that they would be successful in clearing the entire debris stretch by today evening and hopefully be able to save the lives of 32 people stuck inside.
Rawat lauded the "collective efforts" of ITBP, NDRF and all the other agencies involved in dealing with the disaster.
The forces have cleared 90 meter stretch of debris in the big tunnel at Tapovan till now, with about 100 meters of clearing still left to do.Once the forces work their way into the tunnel they would be able to rescue the 32 people still stuck inside.
A multi-agency operation to rescue an estimated 34 people trapped inside a big tunnel at Tapovan was carried out overnight. These included Personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and some state disaster response teams.
After rescue authorities worked their way into the tunnels, 19 dead bodies have been recovered so far. Debris are being removed from the tunnels in Tapovan.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Monday visited Chamoli district to take stock of the situation post the glacier disaster that has now claimed 19 lives. Rawat talking to media persons on the site gave assurance of the rescue work done since the disaster hit with rapid supply of machines and other infrastructure constantly coming in.
Pictures- Twitter/PIB Uttrakhand
Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Monday said that Uttarakhand authorities are constantly receiving directions from the Central government with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah constantly keeping in touch. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keeping track and Home Minister Amit Shah is also reviewing the situation every half an hour,” Nishank said.
As rescue operations continue at the Rishiganga power project 19 bodies have been recovered till now.Out of these 4 were recovered from Rudraprayag and15 from Chamoli. Relief and rescue operations are underway at the affected sites.
In the aftermath of the Uttarakhand glacier burst, 10 bodies -- 3 from Tapovan and 7 in the route to Karnprayag --have been recovered till now, Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said on Monday. Twelve people on Sunday were rescued from the smaller tunnel, Kumar said adding that efforts are underway to open the bigger tunnel where more people are feared trapped.
Currently, 32 people from the first tunnel and 121 people from the second one are still missing. Kumar also urged people to not panic as rescue work is in full swing.
Rescue operations in one of the tunnels of Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project intensified Monday as at least 30 people are still trapped inside. "Around 300 ITBP jawans are deployed to clear the tunnel, " ITBP Spokesperson Vivek Pandey told ANI. As operations are underway, “more teams will be sent there if it is required, we are focussing on rescuing people from the tunnel first,” Pandey added.
Reacting to the glacier burst, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was said that he is 'deeply saddened' by the loss of lives and expressed condolences to families of victims affected, his spokesperson informed on Tuesday. The United Nations stands ready to contribute to ongoing rescue and assistance efforts if necessary, he added. (With inputs from ANI)
Rescue operations have resumed at one of the tunnels at the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project. The sudden surge in water levels in the Dhauli Ganga at around 8 pm Monday prompted authorities to withhold operations temporarily. One more body was recovered after their resumption.
Currently, eight bodies have been recovered from the operation in Tapovan's Dhauliganga, in Chamoli district, but over 120 people are still missing. The sudden surge in the water level in the Dhauli Ganga at around 8 pm prompted authorities to suspend rescue operations underway to extricate 30-35 people trapped in the debris clogging one of the tunnels at the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project.
The sudden flood in the middle of the day in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers -- all intricately linked tributaries of the Ganga -- triggered widespread panic and large-scale devastation in the high mountain areas.
Sixteen men were rescued safely from a tunnel in the Tapovan project but about 125 were still missing. As night fell in the ecologically fragile Himalayas and rescue work in the difficult to access areas became more difficult, there were fears they may be dead.(PTI)
The flooding, which occurred in the vicinity of Joshimath, swept away the barrage used to divert water at NTPC Ltd’s under-construction 520 MW-capacity Tapovan Vishnugad Hydropower project on the Dhauliganga, it is learnt. Sources said that while the civil structure survived the flood, at least a couple of gates of the spillway have been swept away. A boring machine was stuck inside a tunnel of the run-of-river plant, they said. “An avalanche near Tapovan in Uttarakhand has damaged a part of our under-construction hydropower project in the region. While rescue operations are on, (the) situation is being monitored continuously with the help (of the) district administration and police,” an NTPC spokesperson said. Read Full Story
Following the breaking of a part of Nanda Devi Glacier in Uttarakhand, an alert has been issued in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, directing District Magistrates (DM) and police in-charges of districts on the banks of Ganga to keep strict vigil. The authorities have also been asked to evacuate people living on the banks in case of need. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) flood company have been instructed to remain on high alert. Read Full Story
The Pakistan foreign ministry sent out a condolence message over the Uttarakhand tragedy. "Saddened over loss of precious lives due to flash floods caused by glacier break-off in Uttarakhand. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. We pray for the safety and early rescue and recovery of those missing," the foreign office tweeted.
Uttarakhand Police says water level rising again, people near riverbank in Chamoli being alerted. PTI
Uttarakahnd DGP Ashok Kumar said rescue work at the NTPC's 900-metre long Tabovan Tunnel had to be halted due to rise in water level. "We were able to dig 150 mtrs. of the tunnel but after a rise in water level had to halt the work. Most missing persons were working at the two projects. We expect to get a clear picture on their identities by Monday morning," Ashok Kumar said.