Tapovan, India Indian rescue workers struggled on Tuesday to dig up tons of rock and mud to reach survivors in a suffocated Himalayan tunnel after a devastating flash flood probably caused by an ice burst. More than 170 people are still missing two days after a wall of water and debris crashed into a valley in the northern state of Uttarakhand, destroying bridges and roads, hitting two hydroelectric power stations and killing 32.
The disaster is blamed on the fast-melting glaciers in the Himalayan region, which are exacerbated by global warming. Indian researchers said that although it initially appeared that the collapse of an iceberg caused the sudden flood, it was probably a landslide and an avalanche in the glacier that triggered the cascade in the valley.
The construction of dams and the dredging of riverbeds for sand and the clearing of trees for new roads – some to promote defense on the Chinese border – may also have played a role in destabilizing the area.
AP
Most of the missing people were employees at two of the many hydroelectric plants built around Uttarakhand, a mountainous and ecologically fragile state that is slightly smaller than Switzerland.
Hundreds of rescue workers were involved in the operation across the state, with helicopters equipped with penetrating high-definition cameras as well as sniffer dogs.
On Tuesday, the focus was on locating and retrieving 34 workers hoping rescuers were still in airbags in a tunnel system filled with icy water and debris. Workers toiled through the course of the day and with the darkness the operation continued.
STRINGER / REUTERS
“We are trying to clear the void inside the tunnel, but it was difficult,” said rescue officer PK Tiwari. “We are trying to use drones and other tools to get a clearer picture of the situation inside.”
In the area, workers used heavy machinery to remove giant rocks from the road blocking the way to the second power station where 35 people were missing.
The plant has been wiped out and is now a wasteland thickly covered with viscous gray mud. In a nearby village, four bodies were found, including that of a policeman.
Survivors’ stories
One who managed it was Rajesh Kumar, 28, who, along with others, held on to scaffolding rods in the tunnel for four hours before the water level dropped and they were able to escape.
“Suddenly there was a sound of whistling … there was shouting, people were telling us to get out. We thought it was a fire. We started running, but the water flowed in. It was like a Hollywood movie, “Kumar told AFP. .
“We just kept saying to each other – come what may, we may not let go of the sticks,” he said from his hospital bed.
Shopkeeper Ramesh Negi was enjoying the Sunday morning sun when he heard a loud roar and saw a large wall pouring water into a bridge and sweeping away.
Dozens of workers on the riverbed and refusers leading their cattle along the mountain slopes have disappeared under the sudden flood, he recalled.
“There was dust and screams everywhere,” the 36-year-old told AFP.
Indo Tibetan Border Police / AP
Mangra, another survivor, recalled hearing a loud, rumbling sound and the screams of other colleagues: “Run, run, run!”
The 28-year-old scrambled out of the tunnel, but six friends and neighbors of his town did not reach it.
“It felt like the mountain was collapsing and the earth was moving,” Mangra told AFP outside the tunnel, cutting and scraping his hands and legs.