Uttarakhand glacier outburst: At least 10 killed, 16 rescued

At least 10 people have died and several are still missing after a glacial burst in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district triggered massive flood in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alakananda rivers on February 7(Sunday).

Most of the missing persons are reportedly workers of two NTPC power project — Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and the Rishi Ganga Hydel Project — which faced the flood fury and were swept away in the gushing waters.

Teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and police are carrying out rescue operations at the affected areas and as per the latest information, all sixteen people trapped in a tunnel near Tapovan in Chamoli have been safely rescued while 12 more people have been evacuated from another tunnel.

However, around 150 people are reportedly still missing as the rescue operation turned strenuous due to nightfall.

Here are the current updates about the glacier outburst:

1.A chunk of the Nanda Devil glacier broke off on February 7(Sunday) morning in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, leading to an avalanche and a deluge in the Alaknanda river system that washed away two hydroelectric stations.

1. The glacial burst triggered massive flooding in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers and completely swept a 13.2 MW small hydro project on the Rishi Ganga and several homes along it. The flood also affected the downstream hydro project of NTPC at Tapovan on the river Dhauli Ganga. Two villages near the glacier burst site named Rheni and Lata are also believed to have been swept away by flash floods.

2. According to NDRF, rescue teams have pulled out 10 bodies and around 125 people are missing. The rescue operations are being coordinated by the Department of Military Affairs under the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. The rescue operations are likely to continue overnight. Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) said there was no danger of floods in downstream areas as the water level had been contained.

3. Rescue efforts at present are focussed on extricating 30-35 workers trapped in a tunnel of the Tapovan- Vishnugad hydel project on the Dhauli Ganga river, news agency PTI reported.

4. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat visited the affected areas and said all efforts are focused to pull out those feared trapped inside other tunnels that are clogged with 35-40 feet of debris. The ITBP, SDRF and the NDRF personnel have penetrated up to 150 metres into a 250-metre-long tunnel but they have not been able to contact any of the trapped employees or workmen, CM Rawat said.

5. The Uttarakhand chief minister also announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for the families of those killed due to the flash flood triggered by the glacial burst in state’s Chamoli district.

6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in West Bengal while the disaster occurred in Uttarakhand, assured all help in fighting the calamity and said he was in constant touch with the CM Rawat and Home Minister Amit Shah on the rescue and relief efforts being carried out.

7. PM Modi approved an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) also said Rs 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured. “PM Narendra Modi has approved an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF (Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund) for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to the tragic avalanche caused by a Glacier breach in Chamoli, Uttrakhand. Rs 50,000 would be given to those seriously injured,” the PMO tweeted.

8. The NDRF IG Amrendra Kumar said to the media that 40-50 people may have swept away in the gushing waters after the glacial burst, however, he maintained that flooding is not as big as the 2013 Kedarnath calamity. IG NDRF Amrendra Kumar Sengar said the speed of rescue operations were likely to be affected due to low visibility in the dark.

9. As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), no adverse weather events are expected over Chamoli, Tapovan and Joshimath in Uttarakhand on February 7 and 8. IMD Additional Director General Anand Sharma said Chamoli, Tapovan and Joshimath are likely to witness dry weather during the two days. Meanwhile, specialised personnel were airlifted from Delhi and have reached Dehradun. The airlifting of these rescue personnel from Dehradun to the affected areas will start at 6:45 am on Monday.