2 more bodies recovered from Tapovan tunnel

Tapovan, Feb 16: Two more bodies were recovered early Tuesday from the Tapovan tunnel where intense rescue operations were underway for the 10th consecutive day in search of those missing in the Uttarakhand flash floods. With the recovery of two more bodies, the cumulative toll in Chamoli’s glacial disaster has mounted to 58 while 146 are still missing, a police official said.

While one body was recovered past midnight, another was recovered around 2 am from the tunnel, the official deputed at a temporary mortuary at Tapovan where the bodies are being kept said.

So far 11 bodies have been recovered from the sludge choked intake Adit tunnel of the flash flood ravaged TapovanVishnugad hydel project.

The multi-agency rescue effort in Chamoli district is focusing on the Tapovan tunnel where about 30 workers were feared trapped. The agencies involved in the Tapovan rescue work include the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force.

State-run power giant NTPC on Tuesday said it has started disbursal of compensation to families of workers at its Tapovan project who lost their lives due to the flash flood in Uttarakhand earlier this month. The first cheque of `20 lakh was handed over to Vimala Devi, wife of late Narendra Ji of Tapovan Vihar on February 15.

Meanwhile, rescue operation at the site was on in full swing for the ninth consecutive day with extensive coordinated work being carried out by multiple agencies including NTPC to reach those trapped in the tunnel at the site.