Uttarakhand avalanche toll rises, 13 villages remain cut off

Thirty-one bodies have been recovered so far from disaster-hit areas of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. Rescuers have extricated 12 people from the rubble.

Thirty-one bodies have been recovered so far from disaster-hit areas of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. 
 

Rescuers have extricated 12 people from the rubble.
 

Giving details regarding the avalanche in the upper catchment of Rishiganga River in Chamoli, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament earlier today that as per satellite data from February 7, a landslide triggered a snow avalanche that covered approximately 14 sqkm area and caused a flash flood in the downstream of the Rishi Ganga River.

Due to the flash flood, an operational Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW was washed away. Also affected was the under-construction 520 MW NTPC Hydro Power Project downstream at Tapovan on the river Dhauli Ganga.
 

The Union Home Minister informed that 197 persons are reported missing, which includes 139 persons of the under-construction project of National Thermal Power Corporation, 46 persons of the functional Rishiganga Project and 12 villagers. 

The Home Minister said necessary supplies and medical assistance is being provided through helicopters to 13 villages around the place of the incident have been cut off.
 

He informed that eight teams of the Indian Army, including one Engineer Task Force, are carrying rescue operation at the incident site. 
 

One Medical column with two ambulances is also deployed. One diving team of Indian Navy has also reached the incident site for the rescue operation. Five helicopters of Indian Air Force have also been engaged in the rescue operation.