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Uttarakhand: Tapovan Hydro-Electric Power Dam, also known as Rishi Ganga Project was completely washed off following a glacier burst in the Chamoli district, said the Indian Air Force's initial report as Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) deployed at Joshimath has undertaken recce of affected areas.
The report stated that two bridges at the entrance of Malari valley and near Tapovan are believed to be washed away, while the main road between Joshimath to Tapovan is intact.
"Two IAF C-130 aircraft from Air Force Station Hindan have positioned NDRF teams at Dehradun, where Mi-17 and ALH helicopters are deployed for onward deployment to Joshimath. An additional ALH deployed at Joshimath has undertaken recce of affected areas," IAF tweeted.
It added that humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR) operations shall continue tomorrow.
To speed up the rescue process, heavy excavators have been brought in to remove the debris and slush and to open the tunnel near the Tapovan dam in Chamoli. Increased water in the local river has been hampering rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Rawat to review the flood situation in the state. This was his fourth call regarding the matter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called and inquired about the Tapovan disaster. The Prime Minister assured all the necessary help and instructed not to leave any stone unturned in the relief work.
Nearly 125 people are believed to be missing at this point due to the flash flood, said Rawat.
Talking about the cause of the disaster, the Chief Minister said experts can tell the reason behind the glacier outburst, adding the government is focusing on saving the lives of people and the rescue operation.
