DEHRADUN: Rescue teams on Monday made a grim discovery, recovering the body of one of the nine Army jawans who went missing 13 days ago in the devastating rain-induced water disaster that struck Dharali and Harsil in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. The jawan is among 68 people officially confirmed missing in the tragedy.
The remains, believed to be that of an Army personnel, were located approximately three kilometres beyond Harsil, near Jhala, in the river. This recovery brings the total number of human bodies found in the Dharali-Harsil disaster zone to two. Previously, the bodies of two mules and a cow were also recovered.
According to police sources, entire hotels and individuals are believed to be buried under eight to ten feet of debris, swept down by the gushing waters of August 5. This crucial insight has been gleaned using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) deployed by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The State Disaster Management Authority had confirmed 68 people missing, including nine Army jawans from the Harsil camp, five days after the initial catastrophe.
The NDRF is extensively employing GPR to pinpoint those buried. This advanced technology uses electrical detector waves to provide information about elements buried up to 40 meters deep within the debris, offering a crucial lifeline in the grim search.
"The images revealed by the GPR indicate that hotels and people are buried approximately eight to ten feet deep in the disaster-affected area of Dharali," stated NDRF Assistant Commandant R S Dhapola. He added that excavation is currently underway at several locations based on GPR signals.
Speaking to TNIE, Arun Mohan Joshi, Inspector General of Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), told that the affected area has been divided into four sectors for search operations.
"NDRF is working in two sectors and SDRF in the other two, tirelessly searching for the missing," he said.
All eyes remain on the arduous search operation as rescue teams battle challenging conditions, with the fate of 66 individuals still unknown.
