Shawdesh Desk:

The Uttarakhand government has issued a notification authorising officials to declare “presumed dead” 136 people, who still missing after the flash flood in Chamoli district of the state in India over two weeks ago.

The administration is on alert after the Indian Meteorological Department forecast for light rainfall on 24, 25 and 26 February and moderate rainfall at Tapovan area on 27 February.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, SDRF and other sister organisations on Tuesday launched an operation at the artificial lake, which was formed after the recent flash flood-triggered landslide blocked flow of the Rishiganga river, in Chamoli.

To increase the volume of water at the Rishiganga near Muranda, the team removed tree trunks that were blocking the flow.

The artificial lake continues to be a hot topic of debate among scientists and administrators and an object of fear among locals.

A team of ITBP, SDRF and other agencies are presently camping at the lake site.

Meanwhile, 70 bodies have so far been recovered after the February 7 disaster possibly triggered by an avalanche.

The glaciar burst had triggered a flash flood 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.

Source: The Statesman