Relief and rescue operations continued for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday in flash flood-hit Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
The Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are making coordinated efforts to rescue people from Harsil and Dharali.
“Till 8 a.m. on Saturday, ITBP jawans have been shifted to Matli,” Uttarkashi Police said in a post on social media platform X.
“People stranded in the disaster-hit areas are being airlifted,” the post read.
Chinook and Cheetah helicopters have been airlifting stranded pilgrims from the higher reaches of Dharali and Harsil, while medical teams positioned at multiple locations are attending to those affected.
The relief and rescue team, comprising over 800 members from the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, the state government and the local administration, is contributing to the operation. Multiple medical teams have been deployed in Dharali, Harsil and Matli to provide first-aid treatment to the affected population.
The rescue teams have so far evacuated 382 people from Harsil, one of the areas hit by the raging flash floods.
Two Chinook helicopters, two MI-17s and four Air Force helicopters have been deployed to airlift people stranded in cloudburst-hit zones.
In the mudslide-affected areas, 274 people were airlifted from Gangotri to Harsil, 19 from Gangotri to Neelang, 260 from Harsil to Matli, 112 from Harsil to Jolly Grant airstrip, and 382 from Harsil.
The state Food and Supply Department is making meal arrangements for the displaced population and supplying them to ground zero.
In Dharali, at least 50 civilians, eight jawans and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) are still missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides on August 5.
Following the cloudburst, the area remains largely inaccessible, with key road links at Bartwari, Linchigad, Gangrani, Harsil and Dharali severely damaged.
The Army and ITBP personnel are providing stranded tourists with food, medical aid and shelter.
IANS