Even as rescue and search operations continue for people trapped in the aftermath of the Uttarakhand glacier burst, two more bodies on Friday were recovered from the flood-hit areas of Chamoli district, thereby taking the death toll to 38.
According to reports, at least 10 bodies have so far been identified. Over 160 people are still said to be missing after the February 7 deluge that had hit two hydel projects in Chamoli district.
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The Uttarakhand Government has sent a team, comprising the NDRF and SDRF personnel, to find whether a lake has been formed in the catchment area of the Rishiganga river.
With the formation of lake remaining a big concern for the administration, the team will trek the tough terrains to collect first-hand information of the lake formation in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas and submit its report to the state government.
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Meanwhile, scientists of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology have also been asked by the state government to depute a separate team to the Rishiganga valley to make a detailed report on the lake formation.
Villages around Rishganga project, which was destroyed in the floods, complained to the district administration about the lake formation.
“The people in our Reni village are very scared ever since they heard about this lake. We hope the administration will take necessary steps in this regard,” IANS quoted Bhagwan Singh, the village pradhan of Reni, as saying.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is closely monitoring the situation, has said the government is also using satellite imagery to monitor the lake formation.
“It is almost 400m in length, but its depth is not known. The silt carried by Rishiganga is almost 12m high, but it is not clear how much water the lake contains,” he added.
Rawat further said there is a need to “remain alert and not panic”.
The NTPC has in the backdrop of all odds culminating out of the disaster set up a medical team of doctors and para-medical staff. The NTPC has started medical camps for the general public at Tapovan.
A Public Information Centre (PIC) has also been working at the project site to provide information and facilitate the family members of the missing workers. Various government organisations have been working continuously to ensure the safe evacuation of the workers trapped at the Tapovan-Vishnugad Hydel Power Project.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, who are also assisting in the rescue and search operation, distributed ration and essential items in Suki, Lata and Bhalgaun villages, which are cut off due to the flash flood. The ITBP teams also searched for those missing along the river bed towards Joshimath to Helung.