In a unique joint operation, the personnel of the Indian Army and the Engineer Task Force opened the mouth of the tunnel at Tapovan in the flood-affected Uttarakhand’s Joshimath.

The rescued people were given medical aid at the field hospital created by the army at the site.

The rescue operations are still on more than 24 hours after the disaster hit.

“Rescue work continued throughout the night with earth movers by installing generators and search lights,” informed a senior Indian Army official.

Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carried out sorties for insertion of rescue teams before first light. “Reconnaissance of higher reaches was also made to detect any avalanche threat,” said a senior officer.

Around 150 people were feared dead in the flash flood that devastated the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited project on river Dhauli Ganga near Tapovan.

“An avalanche near Tapovan in Uttarakhand has damaged a part of our under construction hydropower project in the region. While rescue operation is on, situation is being monitored continuously with the help of district administration and police,” the NTPC said in a statement on Sunday.

The flash flood occurred in river Rishi Ganga near Joshimath around 10.45 am on Sunday after a part of a glacier fell in the river exponentially increasing its volume.

Due to this, the Rishi Ganga hydro project near Reni village was completely devastated.

The Border Road Organisation (BRO) bridge on Joshimath – Malari highway was also completely washed away.

“There were six grazers with their livestock and they were also taken away by the flash flood,” said local administration.

Rishi Ganga meets Dhauli Ganga near Reni village due to which Dhauli Ganga was also flooded. Around six houses of the village were also washed away.

Further two bridges connecting villages on the other side of the river also got washed away.

The BRO has managed to clear and reopen the Rishikesh-Joshimath-Mana road which was blocked at Hathipahad due to the flash flood.

The National Disaster Response Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and state authorities have been carrying out rescue operations along with the army in the region. The Central government is monitoring the situation and joint efforts of all the agencies are being made to rescue those trapped.

(With IANS inputs)