Uttarakhand Flash Floods: A Look Into India's Most Hi-Tech Disaster Relief Operation Ever By Rajan Sarma, Online Content Writer

Uttarakhand Flash Floods: A Look Into India's Most Hi-Tech Disaster Relief Operation Ever

Rajan Sarma, Online Content Writer | Friday, 12 February 2021, 10:36 IST

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A few days ago, on 9th of February, disaster struck in the Northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. A devastating flash flood swept across the Dhauli Ganga river in the northern-most district of Chamoli adjoining Tibet. The rapid onslaught of mud, debris and water broke through two hydel-power projects and a bridge burying at-least a dozen of workers inside the pile immediately.

The origin of the incident was initially unknown, and later only after a detailed assessment of the area through aerial photography scientists came to the conclusion that it was due to a huge chunk of hanging glacier supported by a massive rock breaking off into the Dhauli Ganga river that caused the mayhem. As the water levels of the river increased it gradually gained momentum, and naturally due to the steep sloping nature of the Himalayan river valleys led to numerous deaths and infrastructure damages worth billions of Rupees.

The Indian government was quick on its feet and immediately came up with a sophisticated disaster relief response supported by the DRDO, CSIR and various start-ups throughout India were contacted to supply hi-tech drones and advanced radar technologies. The National Disaster Relief Forces (NDRF), and all other rescue teams involved in the rescue operations were equipped with a host of advanced technologies from Drones, ground-penetrating cameras to remote cameras, sonar systems and VSAT antennas – making it the most hi-tech disaster relief operation in the history of India.

“We have several tools (to assist the rescue operations). If required, we will use a sonar system, and other sensitive systems also,” said National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) Commandant P.K. Tiwari. He further added, “We have cutting and breaching devices. They (the teams) are working to detect bodies.”

A difficult operation is underway…..

At one point along the 2.5 Km long tunnel in the Hydel power project at Tapovan, it has been estimated that more than 200 workers were trapped inside the tunnel instantaneously once the flood waters surged through the narrow river valley. Three JCB machines have already been deployed to slush out the mud trapped inside the tunnel entrance, and additionally rescue teams have been sending Drones deep inside the depths at a regular interval of time. Rescue teams equipped with “victim-locating cameras” — comprising a camera at the end of a long, extendable stick, a screen, a drill, and an in-built speaker and receiver systems have also been sent into the tunnels. The teams also have been deployed with sonar systems that can trace people who have drowned.

NDRF Director General S.N Pradhan had this to say, “To start with, we had our in-house technology of radars, cameras and drills. We then took assistance from drone start-ups who helped us with resources. Even IITians pitched in resources.” He further said, “Moreover, helicopters of the CSIR flew over the disaster site along with radars, to give us a sense of where the sludge was in the tunnel and help us plan the operations better. With their help, we were able to map the points that had the sludge, where people could be stuck.”

Furthermore, the radar systems given at the hands of the rescue team have helped immensely in detecting air pockets under the dam and where the sludge was trapped, all which are critical operations for mapping out “strategic points”. As of now, since Monday, 36 trapped workers have been already rescued with reports of approximately 160 people still missing.

During the previous 2013 flash floods, the ITBP Mountaineering force and also the NDRF had limited supply of hi-tech equipments which made the rescue operations back then all the more difficult.  The scenario has drastically changed in a few years’ time, and NDRF Director General SN Pradhan feels that India as a nation is much more well prepared in dealing with natural disasters than previous years.

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