Search intensifies for BRO personnel who swept away in Chamoli flash flood

The government on Tuesday also ordered a detailed scientific investigation of Chamoli flash flood that led to a sudden surge of water

The search for Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel, who swept away on Monday in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli flash flood intensified, officials said on Tuesday.

“Our efforts are also underway for the missing BRO personnel who was swept away in the flash flood,” said official. (HT Photo)

Road connectivity to the Niti valley was also disrupted after a newly constructed Bailey bridge over the Tamak Nala washed away following a rise in the water level due to heavy rainfall. The washout cut off road access to a dozen border villages in the Niti Valley, including Malari, Gamshali, and Niti. Officials said efforts are underway to restore connectivity using hume pipes, which are precast reinforced cement concrete (RCC) pipes.

Sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Jyotirmath (formerly Joshimath) Chandra Shekhar Vashisht said, “Teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), district administration and police are working on a war footing to restore vehicular movement at the earliest.”

“The teams are laying hume pipes across the Tamak Nala to create a temporary motorable route to restore road connectivity with Niti valley. Machinery and other resources have been deployed at the site to facilitate the construction of the temporary route,” he said.

He added, “Our efforts are also underway for the missing BRO personnel who was swept away in the flash flood.”

“The situation at the site is being monitored continuously and teams are coordinating with security agencies while keeping weather conditions and the water level of the stream in mind. Road connectivity will hopefully be restored by Wednesday evening if everything goes well,” he said.

He said the district administration has also urged local residents and motorists to avoid unnecessary movement in the affected area until the route is restored and follow the instructions of teams deployed at the site.

Meanwhile, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the situation in Chamoli, directing officials to ensure uninterrupted supplies of essential commodities and expedite restoration of road connectivity.

Dhami spoke to the Garhwal divisional commissioner and Chamoli district magistrate to take stock of relief and rescue operations, supply of essential items and efforts to restore connectivity to the affected areas.

He directed officials to ensure that supplies of ration, food, medicines and other essential commodities were not disrupted and asked them to use alternative routes and other available means to deliver supplies to villagers.

The CM also directed officials to explore all possible options to restore vehicular movement on the Joshimath-Malari road at the earliest. Dhami also directed officials to maintain heightened vigil in low-lying areas and around rivers and streams.

Scientific study of Chamoli flash flood

The government on Tuesday also ordered a detailed scientific investigation of Chamoli flash flood that led to a sudden surge of water and debris into Tamak Nala.

Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, wrote to the directors of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (U-SAC), Geological Survey of India (GSI), India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), seeking their expertise.

The institutions have been asked to study the upper catchment of Tamak Nala and identify the source of the sudden increase in water discharge. The investigation will determine whether the surge was triggered by normal rainfall, exceptionally intense local rainfall, a cloudburst, heavy surface runoff or another hydrological phenomenon. They will examine whether landslides, land subsidence, slope failures, rockfalls or other geomorphological processes in the upper catchment contributed to the incident.

The agencies have been asked to use modern technologies, including satellite imagery, high-resolution remote sensing, drone surveys and GIS-based analysis, to compare the condition of the area before and after the incident. Rainfall patterns will also be examined using satellite and radar-based data, local rain-gauge records and other meteorological information.

The institutions have been directed to submit their respective reports to the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority within 15 days. Based on their findings, expert recommendations will be sought on measures to reduce future risks, improve infrastructure planning and strengthen disaster preparedness in the border region.

The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) is monitoring Chamoli and other vulnerable areas across Uttarakhand round the clock and coordinating with district administrations and other departments to ensure a prompt response in case of an emergency, a press release from the state government said.