Massive Rescue Ops Continue In Uttarkashi, Evacuees Brought To Matli Helipad

Indian security and disaster management forces on Thursday are continuing the rescue operation in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi after the cloudburst and mudslide incident. People trapped near Uttarkashi were brought to the Matli helipad.

The Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Uttarakhand Police and local administration are carrying out a massive rescue operation in Uttarkashi’s Dharali.

Two seriously injured people were referred to AIIMS Rishikesh from the Health Camp Matli. They have been admitted to AIIMS.

Giving an update regarding the rescue operations, Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said that two sorties with 9-10 evacuees have taken off from Harsil, and an IAF Chinook will soon take off from Jolly Grant Airport with NDRF personnel and essential materials.

Division Commissioner Pandey said, “Our heli operations have begun. Our first priority is to evacuate pilgrims from the Gangotri Dham. Two sorties with 9-10 evacuees have taken off from Harsil, and operations will go on all day. An IAF Chinook will soon take off from Jolly Grant Airport with NDRF personnel and essential materials, which will be taken to Harsil. The District Magistrate and SSP have established their offices in the field. Technical experts of all essential services have reached there.”

He said that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is also in Uttarkashi and is supervising the rescue operations.

“Currently, our search and rescue operation is in full swing, and we hope that within one or two days, the situation will come back to normal. The road from Uttarkashi to Harsil is extensively damaged, and it will take some time to rebuild. The CM is also camping in Uttarkashi and supervising all operations,” he added.

Anamika Mehra from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, who was rescued by the security forces, expressed gratitude towards the Indian Army, state police and government.

Mehra told ANI, “When the incident took place, we were near Dharali. We were on our way to Gangotri for darshan. The next day, the entire country was there to support us. All the teams reached there to rescue us. I want to thank the Indian Army and the Uttarakhand Police. Villagers in Bagori mentally supported us and also arranged for our stay for free. I want to salute the Uttarakhand Govt for providing us with heli service immediately and rescuing us.”

Her relative Rupesh Mehra said that the roads were blocked, but they were rescued with the help of the agencies deployed.

“Roads have been blocked there. We were rescued with helicopters. We got a lot of help from all the agencies deployed there, and we were taken out from there,” he said.

Arohi Mehra from Jalgaon said, “I was very scared when all of this happened. The villagers helped us a lot. We got a lot of strength when we saw our jawans of the Indian Army.”

Earlier, Jalgaon Collector Ayush Prasad said that 16 persons from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district remain untraceable. Providing an update on the situation, he said, “It has been reported that 19 people from Jalgaon district are in Uttarkashi, of which contact has been established with three people. Contact has not yet been made with 16 people.”

He added that both the Maharashtra government and Jalgaon district administration are actively coordinating with the Uttarakhand government and Uttarkashi district authorities to trace the missing individuals.

He added, “The Maharashtra government and district administration have tried to contact the Uttarakhand government and the Uttarkashi district administration. We are receiving full support from the Uttarakhand government.” (ANI)