Lake formed near Raini village in Joshimath being monitored: Uttarakhand CM

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], February 12 (ANI): A lake that has formed near Raini village in Joshimath after the glacier burst that caused massive destruction in the state is being monitored, said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday.
"We've information about a lake that has been formed near Raini village in Joshimath. The lake is being monitored through satellites. Right now, we need to be cautious, but there is nothing to be worried about. It is about 400 meters wide. We do not know the depth. A team of scientists will visit the site to keep a check on it. They will air-dropped on the site for 3-4 hours through a helicopter and will submit a report. The Air Force is ready for this," Rawat told media here.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the Uttarakhand glacier burst incident reached 37 after one more body was recovered from the riverbank near Maithana village on Friday.
The rescue operations that were temporarily halted following a rise in the level of water in the Rishiganga River yesterday will also be resumed today, said Uttarakhand Director-General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar.
"The rescue team will resume the drilling operation in the Tapovan tunnel to gain entry into a smaller tunnel which is 12 meters below the existing tunnel as there is a possibility of human presence there," he said.
"Out of the bodies, 10 have been identified. Last rites will be performed for the unidentified bodies after preserving their DNA," he added.
Meanwhile, the government has started the distribution of ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the kin of those who lost their lives due to the glacial burst in Chamoli.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel are distributing rations and essential items in Suki, Lata and Bhalgaun villages that were cut off due to a flash flood in Dhauli Ganga.
A glacier broke in the Tapovan-Reni area of Chamoli District of Uttarakhand on Sunday, which led to massive flooding in Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers and damaged houses and the nearby Rishiganga power project. (ANI)