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India glacier burst: Progress slow as up to 204 people still missing

Chamoli - Massive efforts on to remove the debris to find those stuck inside Tapovan tunnel.

There is not much progress in the ongoing rescue operation following the glacier burst in Uttarakhand, said Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP), Ashok Kumar on Wednesday.

Out of 32 bodies that have been recovered -- 8 have been identified while 24 are still unknown. The rescue teams have also recovered two Uttarakhand Police personnel bodies.

“Not much progress in the rescue operation. We have recovered 32 bodies, 8 identified, 24 unknown. The rescue team also recovered 2 Uttarakhand Police personnel bodies. Cannot confirm the exact number for missing and dead people but it is between 192 and 204,” Kumar told ANI.

Speaking about the challenges being faced by the rescue team, Aparna Kumar, DIG Sector HQ, ITBP, Chamoli said: “The challenge we are facing is that debris and slush are coming out from the tunnel. Machines to continue to work inside the tunnel. We need to progress carefully as water with high pressure might come from inside the tunnel.”

Meanwhile, Piyoosh Rautela, Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre, Uttarakhand has said that the rescue teams continue to remove the debris to find those stuck inside the tunnel.

“We just know that tunnel is 2.5 km long and 30-35 workers inside got stuck. SDRF, police, ITPB, Army and Navy divers removing debris to find those stuck inside the tunnel,” said Rautela.

“As we are unable to connect with 12-13 villages after the bridge was washed off. So, we are making necessary arrangements like ration, water, electricity for them. Soon, we will also set-up a temporary bridge,” he added.

A team of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies continue to conduct rescue operation inside Tapovan tunnel, Uttarakhand on the third day today.

A meeting of all agencies including senior officials of ITBP, NDRF, Army and local administration has been called today to decide further course of action.

A glacial broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, which led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.