Tag: Uttarakhand

CLOSE TO 150 individuals have been reported lacking with seven our bodies recovered, and two hydro energy initiatives and a key bridge severely broken, by a flood probably set off by a glacial breach that surged by way of the Rishiganga river in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district Sunday morning, officers stated. Among these lacking are labourers on the mission websites, over 30 employees members and two police personnel, they stated.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat stated over 35 individuals have been trapped in a tunnel blocked by particles at an NTPC mission that’s beneath building within the Tapovan space, 5 km downstream of Rishiganga.
A joint group of ITBP and the Army are engaged in rescue on the tunnel, sources stated. ITBP personnel rescued 12 labourers from one other tunnel close to Tapovan.
Rawat stated {that a} motorable bridge and 4 different small bridges have been broken, chopping entry by street to over 11 villages within the space. Helicopters of the Army, IAF and personal operators have been engaged to make sure provides to those villages, he stated.

According to the Chief Minister, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to him concerning the incident. The Chief Ministers of UP, Gujarat and Bihar have assured assist, Rawat stated.
Local officers cited preliminary stories to attribute the floods to a “glacier break” close to Joshimath within the district. But scientists are ascertaining the potential of a breach in a glacial lake — a phenomenon often known as glacial lake outburst flood — most likely attributable to an avalanche being the probably purpose.
The Rishiganga is an offshoot of Dhauliganga, which is a tributary of the Alaknanda river. “The glacial burst led to the rising of water levels in the river Rishiganga, which washed away the Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW. The flash flood also affected the downstream hydro project of NTPC at Tapovan on the river Dhauliganga, which is a tributary of the river Alaknanda,” stated an announcement issued by the National Crisis Management Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba which met Sunday afternoon.
It stated there was no hazard of downstream flooding and the rise in water stage had been contained, as per the data given by the Central Water Commission (CWC).
ITBP personnel rescued a employee trapped in a tunnel at Tapovan. (Source: ITBP)
“There is also no threat to the neighbouring villages. At the same time, the agencies of the Centre and the State were asked to keep a strict vigil on the situation, and a team from DRDO, who monitor avalanches, is being flown in for surveillance and reconnaissance,” the assertion stated.
The surge comes greater than seven years after the state witnessed one of many worst pure disasters within the nation when practically 6,000 individuals misplaced their lives to large floods and landslides triggered by a cloudburst and heavy rainfall.
On Sunday, a State Disaster Response Force official (SDRF) official informed The Indian Express that their management room was first alerted round 10.45 am by a neighborhood police head constable from Joshimath. The policeman additionally knowledgeable that an avalanche had occurred on Nanda Devi two days in the past.
By afternoon, a number of movies of the surge have been posted on social media by eyewitnesses. A Chamoli district official stated 4 our bodies have been recovered close to Raini village, which bore the brunt of the surge.
The official stated that about seven villages positioned on the path to the China border obtained disconnected from Raini after small bridges within the neighborhood obtained washed away. A bridge constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on the Joshimath-Malari freeway was additionally destroyed.
Sources stated groups from the ITBP, which has a base at Joshimath about 26 km from Raini, and models of SDRF, have reached the spot. Several groups from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stationed in Uttarakhand have left for the spot whereas extra forces have been airlifted from Delhi to help in rescue operations.
Prime Minister Modi posted on Twitter that he was “constantly monitoring the unfortunate situation”. “India stands with Uttarakhand and the nation prays for everyone’s safety there. Have been continuously speaking to senior authorities and getting updates on NDRF deployment, rescue work and relief operations,” he posted.
Home Minister Shah additionally spoke to NDRF D-G S N Pradhan and ITBP D-G S S Deswal to take inventory of the state of affairs. Shah posted on Twitter that officers are “working on war footing to secure people”.

“Whatever damage had to happen has already happened. The situation is under control at the moment. Rescue operations are on,” NDRF chief Pradhan stated.
ITBP spokesperson Vivek Pandey stated: “As of now, it appears that the worst is over as the flow downstream in the Alaknanda does not appear to be very damaging and is under control. Three teams of ITBP personnel, around 250 men, are engaged in rescue operations at the moment.”
Another ITBP official stated that “5-6 huts near Raini village, mostly of labourers working on the power project, were washed away”, and that six goatherds and their animals have been amongst these lacking.
Union Home Ministry officers stated two groups of NDRF are enroute whereas three extra groups have been flown in from Hindon. The Army’s Engineering Task Force (ETF), Navy divers, and IAF helicopters are a part of the rescue operations.
The state authorities has introduced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh every to the households of these killed. The Prime Minister’s Office posted on Twitter that Modi has “approved an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives” and Rs 50,000 to these significantly injured.
With Amitabh Sinha