Uttarakhand catastrophe: Two extra our bodies recovered at Tapovan tunnel; toll rises to 40

Two extra our bodies have been recovered from the slush of the Tapovan tunnel, the place rescue operations have been underway since February 7. The toll has now reached 40, whereas over 30 individuals are feared trapped within the tunnel. Around 160 individuals are nonetheless lacking after Sunday’s catastrophe.
“Recovered 2 bodies from the slush of the main tunnel at Tapovan where rescue operation was going on since 7th February Uttarakhand police, SDRF and NDRF jawans are taking out the bodies,” DGP Kumar tweeted.
On Saturday, Garhwal Commissioner Ravinath Raman held a gathering with officers of the NTPC, the Army, ITBP and NDRF to debate challenges within the rescue operation and the progress on the continued work. An NTPC official stated that drilling as much as the depth of 12 metre was accomplished however there was not sufficient house to decrease a digicam by means of that. Hence, one other heavy machine has been pressed into service at this time to extend the diameter of drilled space as much as 30 cm.

District Magistrate Swati S Bhadauriya stated that drilling for rescue operation contained in the tunnel was persevering with and NDRF personnel on Saturday began on the lookout for individuals who went lacking close to the barrage of Tapovan energy challenge web site.

A crew of State Disaster Response Force inspected the short-term lake fashioned at a top of three,600 m – about 6 km upstream of Raini village. With villagers downstream fearing one other flash flood on account of formation of the lake, the SDRF crew has developed a handbook early warning system by deploying groups of personnel in Pang, Tapovan and Raini villages. These groups will alert villages by satellite tv for pc telephones and public tackle system if any emergency state of affairs arises, officers stated.