Uttarakhand disaster: Death toll reaches 69; 135 still missing

Tapovan: Rescue and search agencies recovered one more body from the Alaknanda river, about 160 km from Tapovan, on Monday in Uttarakhand, taking the death toll to 69. Authorities said 135 persons are still missing.

The body was found in the river in Srinagar town of Pauri Garhwal district.

According to a report, Praveen Alok, spokesperson state disaster response force (SDRF), said: "The body was recovered by SDRF search teams in Srinagar, who are scanning the Alaknanda river on foot and boats to recover the bodies of those missing in the disaster."

"About 70 SDRF personnel are searching for bodies in the river from Reni village to Srinagar covering four districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal and Pauri Garhwal. After recovering the bodies, their samples are being collected for DNA tests to ascertain their identification," said Alok.

He also informed that of the total bodies recovered, 34 have been identified.