NEW DELHI, Feb 9 (NNN-XINHUA) – As many as 24 dead bodies, all men, have been recovered, in India’s northern hilly state of Uttarakhand till last night, an official at the local disaster management office, said.
Upper reaches in the state had been hit by a glacier burst on Sunday morning, leaving over 200 people missing, mostly labourers, at two hydropower projects.
“The dead bodies have been recovered between the spot where the glacier burst and downstream till the Srinagar area in the state,” added the official.
Meanwhile, local media quoted state Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, as saying that, a joint team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Indian Army was conducting the rescue operation.
The team reached the 130-metre mark in one of the tunnels, which is nearly 1,800 metres long. “It may take two to three hours to reach the T-point in the tunnel. Efforts underway to safely rescue those who are stuck in the tunnel,” Rawat added.
The tunnel, located near the glacier burst site is said to be filled with several feet high of slush and debris. Heavy machinery is being used to clear the tunnel and rescue the workers trapped inside.
A dog squad is also being used to find survivors, if any.– NNN-XINHUA
