Uttarakhand glacier disaster live updates: 26 bodies have been recovered from different places so far, says police

“We fail as scientists when the government overlooks our suggestions and assessments,” Pradeep Srivastava, senior scientist at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, who had led the 2017 study, told TOI. The government agency which monitors the upper Himalayas through satellite data, meanwhile, said these events cannot be predicted with certainty.

BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday expressed grief over the incident of glacier burst in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and said that the Central and state governments are working together to try and help the victims. "National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) is my old ministry and workers who lost their lives were serving the nation. My heartfelt tributes to all those departed souls. May God gives strength to their families," he said.

The glacier burst in Reni village of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli in Garhwal Himalayas on Sunday resulting in a flash flood has proven right the 2017 prediction of conservationist Rajendra Singh, also known as the ‘Waterman of India’ who after the Kedarnath floods in 2013 had claimed that a similar tragedy was waiting to happen. Singh told TOI: “We had informed the authorities concerned that no dams should be constructed on rivers Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, and Mandakani as there are very steep slopes in the area and it is an extremely eco-sensitive zone. However, the rampant construction continues due to which the recent disaster was inevitable. In fact, it was not a natural disaster, but aman-made one.”

The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday put on high alert the authorities in all districts on the banks of the Ganga and asked them to continuously monitor the water levels in the river. "People should exercise caution and not venture towards the river banks. In case of any adverse circumstances, cooperate with the district administration. The UP government is taking all necessary steps," CM Adityanath said.

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. IAF said an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) deployed at Joshimath has undertaken recce of affected areas.

Appealing people not to pay attention to hearsay, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday shared Uttarakhand Police tweet cautioning people to not get mislead by the rumours being spread on social media about the rise of water levels in Joshimath, which are completely false. "Misleading and fact-less news is being spread on social media by some person regarding the rise in the water level in Joshimath, which is completely untrue. We request everyone to please ignore such rumours, and only trust the sources which are reliable," tweeted the official account of Uttarakhand police.

In 2019, a village resident had filed a PIL in the Uttarakhand high court (HC) alleging unfair and environmentally hazardous practices by the private firm involved in the project. It was alleged that the firm was "using explosives and blasting the mountains for mining". The blasting, the petition said, had damaged the sensitive areas around the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.

Rescue efforts at present are focussed on extricating 30-35 workers trapped in a tunnel of the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project on the Dhauli Ganga river. Around 30-35 people including workers and employees of the 480 mw Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project on the Dhauli Ganga river are feared trapped inside one of the tunnels following the avalanche, Project GM RP Ahirwar said. JCBs and Pokland machines are being used to cut into the debris clogging the tunnel to rescue the trapped workers, he said.

February temperatures can drop to below zero in the hills of Uttarakhand's Chamoli. Why, then, did a glacier break off, with disastrous effect? "In winter, glaciers remain firmly frozen. Even walls of glacial lakes are tightly bound. A flood of this sort in this season is usually caused by an avalanche or landslide. Neither seems to be the case here," Manish Mehta, senior scientist at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology said.

Scientists on Sunday said satellite and Google Earth images did not show a glacial lake near the region, but there was a possibility of 'water pockets' (lakes inside the glaciers) which might have burst. Though the event needs further analysis, it is unlikely to be a 'cloud burst' as weather reports in Chamoli district showed sunny weather till Sunday with no record of precipitation.

Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said the numbers could be higher and announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in the "massive disaster".