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  • Uttarakhand catastrophe: 2 extra our bodies recovered from Tapovan tunnel, toll rises to 58

    Image Source : PTI Chamoli: Rescue and restoration work continues at broken Tapovan barrage, weeks after the glacier burst at Joshimath which triggered a large flash flood, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021.
    Two extra our bodies had been recovered early Tuesday from the Tapovan tunnel the place efforts had been underway on the tenth consecutive day to achieve employees feared trapped inside after a flash flood in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. The confirmed demise toll within the Chamoli catastrophe has now mounted to 58 and one other 148 persons are lacking, an official mentioned.
    Eleven of the our bodies had been recovered from the tunnel on the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Tapovan-Vishnugad undertaking website, the place about 30 folks had been initially feared trapped.
    Meanwhile, Chamoli Chief Medical Officer G S Rana issued a video assertion, saying all these killed within the glacial catastrophe suffered bodily accidents, and sludge and water entered their lungs.
    “Post-mortem has been conducted on all the 58 bodies recovered so far by February 16 and I have seen the reports. All of them died of injuries sustained on their bodies and due to sludge and water entering their lungs,” he mentioned.
    The multi-agency rescue effort in Chamoli district is specializing in the Tapovan tunnel.

    National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) commandant P Okay Tiwari mentioned the search-and-rescue operations will go on until the final sufferer is reached. But he additionally indicated that clearing the sludge and the particles from your complete tunnel might take months.
    Asked in regards to the probabilities of survival of these lacking or trapped, the NDRF commandant mentioned he can’t say something with certainty, however miracles do occur.
    Rescue work on the website progressed slower Tuesday than on different days with water seeping out of the particles from the but to be cleared portion of the tunnel.
    The companies concerned within the Tapovan rescue work embody the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force. 

    Latest India News

  • Inside Tapovan tunnel: Rescue staff maintain at it as hopes recede

    Image Source : PTI Rescue operations proceed contained in the Tapovan Tunnel, following the glacier burst at Joshimath which triggered an enormous flash flood in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
    Bright lights illuminate the surreal scene deep contained in the tunnel: slush and dirt, tread marks of automobiles which have been going out and in for the previous week, and a single excavator nonetheless at work. Three extra our bodies of the estimated 30 folks initially feared trapped contained in the Tapovan hydel mission tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district had been pulled out Tuesday.
    But the tempo of labor in the course of the day has been gradual, officers stated. Water is seeping out from the but to be cleared portion of the tunnel, and is being constantly pumped out.
    But that additionally means extra slush. Fewer rescue staff had been on the job throughout Tuesday night than the day earlier than.
    In the night, a PTI photographer went down the sloping tunnel, from the place tonnes of sludge and particles and 11 our bodies have excavated for the reason that rescue effort started after a flash flood on February 7.
    At round 150 metres, it’s straightforward to see what the rescue staff are up in opposition to. A strong wall of mud blocks the remainder of the tunnel.
    Munna Khan and Mithlesh Singh, who labored on the devastated NTPC energy mission on Dhauliganga, at the moment are deployed within the rescue effort on the identical.
    Singh signifies that he may need been one of many victims had he been on obligation that Sunday. The our bodies they discovered had been pressed in opposition to the partitions or the roof of the choked tunnel.

    On most days, an excavator and a truck are placed on the job of eradicating the sludge and the particles. The excavator dumps its load on to the truck, which then heads again to the mouth of the tunnel.
    But the water seepage and the slush on Tuesday have made rescue companies deploy simply the lone excavator which makes journeys up and down the tunnel.
    Rescue staff usually work four-hour shift, and are relieved by the following batch of males. Breathing within the tunnel is considerably tougher, as if the oxygen degree is depleted.
    The Indo-Tibetan Force, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force have been concerned within the large effort.
    The catastrophe was probably triggered by an avalanche within the higher reaches of the Alaknanda river system.
    A surge within the Dhauliganga devastated the National Thermal Power Corporation’s Tapovan energy mission, which has grow to be the main focus of the rescue effort.
    Before ramming into the Tapovan web site, the flood waters devastated the a lot smaller hydel unit at Raini. Several villages too had been reduce off for a couple of days.
    Groups of family members have gathered on the Tapovan tunnel, hoping that their family members will emerge alive from its moth. So far, it has been simply the our bodies. 
    Latest India News

  • Uttarakhand tunnel rescue ops: Progress, hurdles and methods

    In the week for the reason that flash flood in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, two tunnels of an NTPC hydro-power mission in Tapovan space have been on the centre of rescue operations. The preliminary goal was to scrub an 180-metre space of slush to rescue 34 employees feared trapped there. On Sunday, 5 our bodies have been recovered from one of many tunnels.
    Revisiting the painstaking, day-to-day progress within the operation, the altering methods:
    February 8The rescue operation contained in the consumption tunnel, began after the February 7 flash flood, was halted for a couple of hours following an increase within the Dhauli Ganga river. It resumed at 5 am on Monday. The slush was cleared as much as solely 90 metres after a day-long train.

    February 9After elimination of slush with rudimentary tools like excavators, an aerial survey was finished by a helicopter-bound Laser with Electromagnetic Pulse Imager for evaluation of the density contained in the consumption tunnel. A drone with cameras was additionally despatched contained in the tunnel as much as 120 metres, however failed to indicate human presence in that stretch. This day, NDRF and ITBP personnel have been capable of solely attain as much as 90 metres— as they eliminated the slush, extra muck saved popping out. Army males tried to launch a search close to the barrage in Dhauli Ganga—a website the place greater than 100 persons are feared lacking—however known as it off after discovering the floor unsuitable for motion. The rescue appeared extra organised when a joint operational centre was arrange and structure of the tunnel was displayed in public.
    February 10Rescue groups modified technique after discovering that employees could also be trapped in one other silt filtration tunnel (SFT), situated 12 metres under the consumption tunnel. It was determined to begin drilling 72 metres from the opening of the primary tunnel. This was finished in order that lights with cameras could possibly be lowered into the SFT. Two extra excavators have been deployed to hurry up elimination of slush. A helpdesk was arrange for family members of these individuals feared trapped.
    February 11The operation was suspended following an increase in river water circulation, however resumed after an hour. Around 80 metres of slush was cleared within the consumption tunnel. Drilling into SFT began at 3 am however was stopped as a result of sludge at a depth of 6 metres.

    February 12A recent try was made drill into the SFT at distance of 75 metres. Teams managed to achieved drilling to greater than 10 metres by night.
    February 13Drilling inside SFT was accomplished as much as a depth of 12 metres. With little house for reducing a digital camera, one other heavy machine was pressed into service to extend the diameter of drilled space as much as 30 cm and develop a borewell. But the reducing of digital camera failaed once more because of the stress of slush. The borewell was plugged and elimination of slush from the consumption tunnel resumed once more late evening.

  • 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.

  • Uttarakhand catastrophe: Rescue groups begin widening gap in Tapovan tunnel to succeed in trapped folks

    Rescue groups on Saturday started widening a gap drilled into an strategy tunnel on the way in which to the attainable location of over 30 folks trapped inside a sludge-choked tunnel of the NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel mission after a flash flood ravaged the world on Sunday.
    “We are working beneath a three-pronged technique to succeed in to these trapped within the tunnel. The gap we drilled yesterday is being widened to at least one toes in order to succeed in a digital camera and a pipe contained in the silt flushing tunnel the place the trapped are stated to be situated, General Manager of the NTPC mission, R P Ahirwal, instructed PTI.

    A gap with a diameter of 1 toes will assist ship in a digital camera to determine their location and a pipe to flush out amassed water from the tunnel, Ahirwal stated.
    The different two elements of the technique are clearing the desilting basin of the NTPC barrage by way of which muck is continually flowing into the tunnels and restoring the stream of the Dhauliganga to the appropriate which has tilted to the left after the flash flood hampering the sludge clearing operation, he stated.
    Describing the rescue of individuals as a precedence, he stated the NTPC has put greater than 100 of its scientists on the job.
    When requested whether or not an try is also made to ship rescue personnel to the attainable location of these trapped contained in the tunnel by way of the outlet, the GM stated it is going to have to be widened additional for that and shall be accomplished if the necessity arises.

    “More than 100 of our scientists are on the job. They are devising strategies and having them implemented,” Ahirwal stated.
    He stated all assets and mechanical tools required for the operations can be found on the mission web site.
    However, citing the situations contained in the tunnel, he stated, “We can operate only with a few machines at a time. Rest of them have to be kept on standby because our strategy is to keep the operations underway round the clock.”
    If for some cause an tools stops working, there are options on the standby to make sure that the operations don’t cease, he stated.
    He stated many skilled employees of the mission went lacking within the calamity and people placed on the job are new folks however nonetheless they’re working with complete dedication.
    Talking in regards to the greatest problem being confronted by the rescue staff, the NTPC official stated, “The rescue personnel are going to the tunnel where the men are likely to be trapped via HCC Adit where muck is constantly coming down from the NTPC barrage and its desilting basin to hamper the rescue efforts. The water of Dhauliganga too is coming into our tunnels through the desilting basin as it has tilted to the left after the avalanche.”
    “Hence, restoring the flow of the Dhauliganga to the right is a big part of our strategy,” Ahirwar stated. The sludge choked contours and conduits of the barrage’s desilting basin can be eliminated extra successfully provided that the stream is restored again to its earlier place.

    The work on restoring the stream of Dhauliganga has begun already with the assistance of heavy machines, he stated. So far, 38 our bodies have been recovered from the affected areas whereas 166 are nonetheless lacking.
    DIG Nilesh Anand Bharne stated 11 of the lifeless have been recognized. Eighteen physique elements had additionally been recovered from the flood-hit areas, of which 10 have been cremated after taking their DNA samples to date, he stated.

    The State Emergency Operation Centre right here stated scientists of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing throughout an aerial survey of the Rishiganga discovered that the glacial lake shaped because of the avalanche over it has begun to launch water which reduces probabilities of its breaching or inflicting a contemporary flash flood.
    The lake which has shaped over the Rishiganga after the flashflood had elevated the priority of consultants on Friday.

  • First girl IPS officer who scaled South Pole main ITBP ops in U’khand

    The rescue operation being undertaken on the Tapovan energy tunnel in Uttarakhand is being led by the primary girl ITBP officer to efficiently scale the South Pole, and another ace mountain-warfare skilled officers of the border guarding pressure who’ve seen disasters within the hills up shut.
    Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Aparna Kumar, a 2002-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is the senior-most subject officer of the pressure on the bottom.
    Kumar, 45, who’s the sector in-charge of the ITBP northern frontier based mostly in Uttarakhand’s capital- Dehradun, is nicely generally known as the primary girl IPS and ITBP officer to efficiently conquer the South Pole, the southernmost level on the globe located in Antarctica, in 2019.
    The officer, who has two younger youngsters and hails from Karnataka, joined the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in 2018 on deputation.
    She advised PTI on telephone from Joshimath that the “operation of clearing the slush in the Tapovan tunnel is continuing”.
    “It is a tough task but we are on it,” Kumar stated.
    She had advised reporters in 2019 that her first brush with mountaineering occurred when she was commanding a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) battalion in Uttar Pradesh some years in the past.
    “I did my advanced mountaineering course in July, 2014 and since then there has been no looking back,” Kumar had stated.
    She has additionally accomplished the celebrated seven summits’ problem by scaling all of the seven high peaks of the seven continents and was awarded the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2019.
    “Kumar has been camping in the Tapovan-Joshimath area since the tragedy struck on Sunday. She also leads the ITBP in various multi-agency meetings being held close to ground zero,” a senior ITBP officer stated.
    The DIG is assisted by the Commanding Officer of the first ITBP battalion based mostly in Joshimath (Chamoli district), Benudhar Nayak.
    Nayak, the officer stated, has a wealthy profile as he has served for lengthy within the mountains.
    He was posted in Uttarakhand when the huge flash floods occurred in 2013.
    “That stint is coming in handy to deal with the current tragedy,” the officer stated.
    Nayak was instrumental in shortly organising a crew of over 400 personnel from his battalion and close by models to launch the rescue operation after a potential glacier burst led to a flash flood within the Alaknanda river system and its quick swirling waters ravaged a lot of villages within the border district of Chamoli and two hydro energy vegetation.
    At least 35 our bodies have been recovered until now whereas about 170 are nonetheless lacking.
    The pressure has additionally placed on job the personnel of its specialised mountaineering and ski institute positioned in Auli close to Joshimath to undertake the operations.
    These combat-ready personnel are working underneath the command of Deputy Commandant Nitesh Sharma.
    “Sharma, a commando trained officer, was the one who first went into the small tunnel on Sunday from where 12 NTPC Tapovan workers were saved by the ITBP on Sunday,” one other officer stated.
    “All these officers have been camping in the area since the day the tragedy struck and they are as eager to find success as the distraught family members of the about 30-35 men who are trapped inside the tunnel,” the second officer stated.

  • Uttarakhand: After 3 days of rescue ops, govt advised labourers may be trapped in one other tunnel

    Written by Lalmani Verma
    | Chamoli (uttaranchal) |

    Updated: February 10, 2021 9:12:19 pm

    After three days of rescue operations in NTPC’s Intake Adit tunnel in Uttarakhand’s flash flood-hit Tapovan space, the technique was modified Wednesday night, after NTPC authorities mentioned the labourers had been trapped in one other silt filtration tunnel situated 12 metres beneath Intake Adit.
    Sources mentioned that Uttarakhand authorities authorities, in a gathering in the present day, directed NTPC officers to share “correct” info, and ship knowledgeable engineers of the tunnel to the location to help within the rescue operations.

    Garhwal Commissioner Ravinath Raman advised The Indian Express, “Earlier, we were told about the probability of about 34 labourers present 180 metres inside the Intake Adit tunnel, and we were digging in that direction. Today, they (NTPC authorities) informed us that the last known worksite of the labourers is a silt filtration tunnel (SFT) 12 metres below the Intake Adit Tunnel and about 72 metres from its opening. With this, the strategy of going up to 180 metres has been changed. Drilling will be done in the SFT and lights with cameras will be lowered into the area.”

    The Commissioner mentioned {that a} buffer space was being developed at a distance of about 72 metres, the place drilling must be completed to succeed in the SFT. The Commissioner additionally mentioned that it has been determined to ship tunnel knowledgeable engineers to the location. “The tunnel has become unstable at places due to slush. So we want expert experienced engineers to guide the rescue operation,” Raman mentioned.