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Search operations for the missing people are still ongoing in Dharali town in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, where flash floods triggered by torrential rain hit hotels and residential buildings on Tuesday, said an official.
"Yesterday, we evacuated nearly 382 people. Our operation is going on in three directions. We are evacuating pilgrims stranded in Gangotri, who have come from outside the state. We are restoring road connectivity. Third is clearing the debris and looking for the missing people in the worst-affected Dharali, and also the listing of the loss to public and private property," Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey told ANI. He said that dedicated senior officers have been working on these three fronts. "Today, so far, 44 people have been evacuated. Helicopter services are going on uninterrupted. The weather is not suitable for Chinook and Mi helicopters, so as soon as the weather becomes favourable, they will be deployed. The CM is still in Uttarkashi and supervising the operation... Necessary food items are being constantly sent there," he said. "Two generators are ready to be transported to the affected area to restore electricity, and as soon as there is clearance for flying the Chinook and Mi choppers, the generators will be immediately flown. The internet will also be restored soon," he added. The state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple agencies. Two cloudbursts on Tuesday, one in Dharali and another in the Sukhi Top area near Dharali, caused widespread destruction, with Dharali bearing the brunt. On Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at the camp office in Uttarkashi to review the ongoing rescue operation in Dharali. Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers, engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the missing. People trapped in the Dharali-Harsil disaster are being rescued through helicopters and brought to Matli helipad, from where arrangements have also been made to ensure their safe arrival at their destination. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DIG Gambhir Singh Chauhan said that helicopter services have been deployed to evacuate those trapped. Multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, NDRF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local administration, are coordinating efforts both on the ground and in the air. (ANI)
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