Uttarakhand glacier disaster: 36 bodies recovered, over 200 still missing

The death toll in the Uttarakhand glacier burst incident has mounted to 36 and 204 persons are still missing, informed the State government on Thursday.

Out of the 36 recovered dead bodies, 10 have been identified while 24 of them are yet to be identified, the government said.

Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has chaired a meeting to review the progress of rescue and relief work being carried out by Central agencies and agencies of the Uttarakhand Government at the site of the hydro project of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) at Tapovan on Dhauliganga River, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a release.

Bhalla had reviewed the action required for regulating the flow of water from temporary obstruction formed upstream from the project. The Secretary of Defence Research and Development Orgsation (DRDO) has been asked to depute experts for analysis of the situation and taking apt remedial measures in coordination with Central-State agencies, it said.

Union Home Secretary had assured all possible help and assistance from Central agencies to the State government as and when required by them, MHA added.

A glacier broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, which led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project.

( With inputs from ANI )