"tapovan"

"Out of 206 people missing in a flash flood, bodies of 71 people and 30 body parts have been recovered from Tapovan in Chamoli district," the state government said.

Search operation at the project site has been underway on a war footing basis for a fortnight since it bore the brunt of an avalanche triggered by a glacier burst over Rishi Ganga.

With this recovery, the toll in the February 7 disaster has risen to 62 while 142 people are still missing.

So far eleven bodies have been recovered from the sludge choked intake Adit tunnel of the flash flood ravaged Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project.

Nine bodies have so far been recovered from the tunnel at Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project site taking the toll in the tragedy to 54, while officials say 150 people are still missing.

The recoveries take the toll in the disaster to 46, while 158 people remain missing, officials said.

Rescue teams have been battling against odds to reach out to the trapped people at the site of the flood-ravaged Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project.

A joint team of ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and other agencies conducting rescue operations used drone cameras to see feasibility to enter beyond cleared site inside Tapovan tunnel.

Rescue teams comprising the Army, ITBP, NDRF and SDRF personnel have made little headway beyond 100 metres inside the tunnel as debris has been constantly flowing in.

A portion of the Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks in Chamoli district on Sunday.

The 202 still missing include those working at hydel power project sites as well as villagers nearby whose homes were washed away with the force of the raging waters.

ITBP teams were seen clearing the over 1,500-metre-long tunnel, which is executed till over 1,329 metres, using earthmovers driven by local workers.