Uttarakhand tragedy: Death toll rises to 62, rescue and search operation underway

The death toll in the glacial disaster in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district rose to 62 on Friday as one more body has been recovered from the flood-hit area. The search and rescue operations continued for the 13th day at the NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site. The body was recovered late Thursday night from the banks of the Alaknanda at Helang between Joshimath and Pipalkoti, Chamoli district police said on Friday.

The body was found at a coffer barrage of the THDC, it said. With this recovery, the toll in the February 7 disaster has risen to 62 while 142 people are still missing, they said. The number of bodies recovered from the intake Adit tunnel of Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project where a massive search operation has been underway ever since the tragedy struck still stands at 13.

Besides, 28 human limbs have also been recovered from different places in the affected area out of which one has been identified. Thirty-three bodies out of the 62 recovered so far have also been identified, police said, adding the DNAs of unidentified bodies are being preserved.

The glacial burst over Rishiganga had triggered an avalanche which had demolished a 13.2 MW hydel project along the river besides causing extensive damage to the NTPC's Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project along Dhauliganga.