Tragic Delhi Coaching Centre Incident: Heroic Rescuers Battle 12-Foot Muddy Floodwaters in Desperate Bid to Save Lives
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel faced significant challenges during search and rescue operations at Rau’s IAS Study Circle due to dirty, murky water that reached up to 12 feet. Fire department officials worked to pump water from the coaching institute’s basement on Sunday. The NDRF team, comprising 32 members, navigated through the muddy water amid floating furniture and fallen almirahs in hopes of finding survivors.
“At around 8:25 p.m., we received an alert about flooding in the basement. By 9:05 p.m., our team reached the scene and discovered students trapped inside,” said Praveen Dahiya, second-in-command of the NDRF 16 battalion. The sole exit door was locked, forcing the NDRF to break a glass enclosure to enter. An initial assessment by a diver equipped with a breathing apparatus revealed the basement to be around 100 feet long and 50 feet wide and confirmed the severe flooding conditions.
With the area’s dimensions and the scale of debris understood, three more divers entered while four others were kept on standby. Deputy Commandant Deepak Jaiswal, leading the operation, described the difficulties: “The dirty water mixed with debris, fallen almirahs, and floating furniture made locating the students extremely tough.”
At approximately 10:35 p.m., the team recovered the first body from the basement, with the second by 11:45 p.m. and the third by 1:00 a.m. Despite their best efforts, the NDRF continued the search till 3:35 a.m. but found no additional survivors. “The dirty water, along with obstacles like books and furniture, complicated the rescue operation. Unfortunately, we could not save the three students,” Jaiswal reported.
Throughout the operation, senior NDRF officials supervised and coordinated efforts to ensure the rescue mission was conducted as efficiently as possible under the difficult conditions.
Original Story https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-coaching-centre-deaths-rescue-ops-complicated-by-12-foot-high-muddy-water-101722190428325.html
Category :
Tags:
