Uttarakhand flash flood: Death toll mounts to 60

Tunnel dinging has progressed beyond 146 metres at the Tapovan Dam site as 145 people remain missing in the flash flood aftermath

Rescuers on Thursday recovered two more bodies from the Tapovan dam tunnel in Uttarakhand’s flash flood-hit Chamoli district, taking the toll from the tragedy to 60, said Praveen Alok, a spokesman for the State Disaster Response Force. Thirteen of the bodies have been found in the tunnel while the rest downstream the Rishiganga and Reni village.

Rescue and restoration work continues at damaged Tapovan barrage, weeks after the glacier burst at Joshimath which triggered a massive flash flood on February 7, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. (PTI)

Alok said the tunnel dinging has progressed beyond 146 metres at the Tapovan Dam site as 145 people remain missing in the flash flood aftermath. He said despite challenges due to the recovery of decomposed and mutilated bodies, their identification process is on. “So far, 31 bodies have been identified.”

The rescuers have also recovered 27 human body parts, of which the identity of one has been ascertained

The rescuers face difficulties in removing muck from the tunnel due to the presence of big boulders and water percolation.