Live: Bodies of 26 people recovered from different places, says Uttarakhand Police

The glacial burst led to the rising of water levels in the river Rishiganga and washed away the Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW. It also damaged a bigger one further down the Dhauliganga river being built by state firm NTPC. According to reports, most of the missing people were working on these two projects.

File Photo (PTI)

New Delhi: More than 24 hours have passed since the tragedy struck Uttarakhand and more than 200 people are still missing, while at least 18 have died after part of a glacier broke away in the Chamoli district and triggered a massive avalanche. 

The glacial burst then led to the rising of water levels in the river Rishiganga and washed away the Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW. It also damaged a bigger one further down the Dhauliganga river being built by state firm NTPC.

According to reports, most of the missing people were working on these two projects.

"As of now, around 203 people are missing," state chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said. However, the number is most likely to increase in the future. 

The rescue squads were focused on drilling their way through a 2.5 km (1.5 miles) long tunnel at the Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project site that NTPC was building 5 km (3 miles) downstream where about 30 workers are believed to be trapped.

Earlier on Sunday, 12 people were rescued from another such tunnel.

Tap for live updates on Uttarakhand Glacier burst

08 February 2021

23:17 IST

According to the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Centre, 197 people are still missing.

23:15 IST

Ashok Kumar, DGP, Uttarakhand: Till 8 pm on Monday, 26 bodies have been recovered.