Experts from the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) on Tuesday began to search for the missing people in flood-ravaged Dharali village in Uttarkashi with the help of Ground Penetrating Radars, officials said.
The team of experts will identify and focus on places where there may be human presence under the debris, they said. Ground Penetrating Radars (GPRs) is a geophysical method that uses radio waves to detect objects and structures below the surface.
The NGRI had used its GPRs to locate people trapped in the SLBC tunnel collapse in Telangana in February this year. These radars of NGRI can detect human life even in the presence of mud and water, the officials said, adding that the GPR surveys will also detect anomalies within the debris. The team of NGRI experts reached the spot on Monday evening. Incessant rain in various parts of Uttarakhand, including Uttarkashi, had hampered the search and rescue operations in Dharali village as well as efforts to restore road connectivity to the flood-hit areas of the district.
The operator of a JCB engaged in restoring road connectivity to the affected area went missing after it fell into the surging waters of the Bhagirathi river. A search is underway to locate him, the officials said. -- PTI
