Uttarakhand Flash Floods: 136 Missing To Be 'Presumed Dead', Says Report

Two weeks after the devastating flash floods on 7 February in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, 68 bodies have reportedly been found so far in the rescue efforts.

The Uttarakhand government has "initiated the process" of declaring the 136 people still missing "presumed dead." Rescue efforts in the area led to the recovery of 14 bodies from the NTC Hydropower tunnel in Tapovan, which bore the direct brunt and flow of the floods.

Other bodies were found in the upstream and downstream areas where disaster struck. The Dhauli river has been flowing into the tunnel during the rescue efforts making the muck clearing work undertaken by the rescue team difficult.

For two weeks after the flash floods struck the Rishi Ganga hydel project and the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project, teams have been involved in efforts to rescue workers and bodies on war footing. Bodies were also recovered from the desilting tank in one project.