Rescuers continue search operation at disaster hit Tapovan project in Uttarakhand

Rescuers on Saturday continued clearing a tunnel of the disaster hit Tapovan project in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand and also searched other places to find more bodies. Due to heavy water and sludge, excavation work is going on at a slow pace inside the tunnel where 13 bodies out of the 25-35 buried people have been recovered so far, top police officials said. The tunnel has already been dug at a level of 166m deep and 6m in slope. Water is continuously being pumped out of the tunnel, officials said. Rescuers had recovered one body at Helang area near Joshimath on Friday even as they used dog squads, binoculars, rafts and other equipment in their search operation for 142 missing persons. Nearly 204 persons went missing after the February 7 deluge in the Rishiganga River. (IANS)

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