5 more bodies found in Chamoli, toll at 56
DEHRADUN: Rescue workers recovered five more bodies on Monday of people who died in the flash flood that hit Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on February 7, raising the death toll in the disaster to 56 and leaving 148 still missing.
Three of the five bodies were recovered from the 1.7-km-long main tunnel at NTPC’S hydel power project in Tapovan where around 35 workers had been feared to be trapped, officials said. Rescuers dug through the tunnel up to a distance of 140 metres, where they confronted thick slush that stopped further progress.
On Sunday, a week after starting the almost non-stop rescue operation , rescuers had extricated five bodies from the tunnel and found seven more elsewhere.
Of the dead and missing, 139 are from NTPC’S Tapovan power plant and 53 from the Rishi Ganga project that was also damaged in the disaster caused by a rockslide and the formation of a glacial lake in the mountainous terrain. About 10 villagers living in the vicinity are also missing.
State director general of police Ashok Kumar said: “The search and rescue operation is still on inside the tunnel where rescuers have succeeded in clearing muck up to 140 metres but are facing difficulty because the more they dig, more muck comes from inside,” he said.
Nilesh Anand Bharne, deputy inspector general (law and order), said that of the 56 bodies recovered, 29 had been identified. “Of the 56 bodies, about 46 were recovered from Chamoli district, seven from Rudraprayag, two from Pauri Garhwal and one from Tehri
Garhwal districts,” said Bharne. “Apart from the bodies, the rescue workers also recovered 22 human body parts. DNA samples of all the body parts and dead bodies have been collected to ascertain their identities.” The police officer said rescue workers had so far “cremated 53 bodies and 20 human body parts complete with rituals and respect. He also said the police at Joshimath had so far registered 52 cases regarding the missing people. “The family members can contact helpline numbers- 01372-251487 and 9084127503 for any queries or help,” said Bharne.
WATCH: Death toll continues to climb, rescue operation underway