Evacuation of pilgrims underway in disaster-hit Uttarkashi, 566 more rescued safely

Efforts to evacuate stranded pilgrims from disaster-hit Dharali village were stepped up on Friday, and 566 more people were rescued safely this morning, officials said.

Rescue and relief operations are being carried out primarily via air as the Gangotri National Highway and several motorable roads are damaged at many places.

A total of 840 people have been safely rescued on the fourth day of rescue operations. At least 50 people are still missing, according to rescue officials. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, however, has said 16 people are missing -- nine Army personnel and seven civilians.

The district administration said on Tuesday that at least four people have died in the flash floods. But so far only only two bodies have been recovered.

A total of 566 people were brought safely to the ITBP's Matli helipad Friday morning, officials said, adding that 300 more people are to be rescued.

Advanced equipment required to dredge through mounds of debris in Dharali in search of the missing are being flown to the spot with the help of helicopters.

Two Chinook helicopters, two Mi-17s of the IAF and eight choppers of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) have been deployed.

Food supplies are also being sent to the affected areas in helicopters, officials said.

Rummaging through the debris in search of the missing is an uphill task as the rubble heaps at places are 50-60 feet high.

With roads breached at various points, the thrust is on air support both for the evacuation of the stranded people and transporting food supplies and other essentials to the affected areas, an NDRF official said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has been camping at the district headquarters in Uttarkashi for the past few days to keep a close eye on the ongoing rescue operations.

In a post on Facebook, he said, "Reviewed the relief and rescue operations going on in Dharali in Uttarkashi this morning." With the help of Heli Seva, Mi-17 and Chinook helicopters, rescue operations are being carried out on a war footing since the morning and people are being brought back safely, he said.

Necessary guidelines have been given to the officials on the restoration of roads, communication, electricity and food supply. "We are trying to evacuate all the affected people safely and restore normal life as soon as possible," he said.

He added that the central government is providing full cooperation for the rescue efforts.

The chief minister has also decided to contribute an amount equal to a month of his salary towards disaster relief operations in Uttarkashi.

Dhami said the state government stands with the affected people at every step, and added that everyone should come together and help the victims in this difficult situation.

He appealed to public representatives, officials, voluntary organisations and common citizens to make monetary contributions to the ongoing relief work in the disaster-hit areas of the district as per their capacity.

The flash floods in Dharali on Tuesday afternoon demolished buildings and swept away people and cars.

According to residents of nearby villages, such as Mukhba, more than half of the village was washed out in the disaster.

Dharali is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, from where the Ganga originates, abounding in hotels, homestays, restaurants and guest houses.

In the rescue operations carried out so far, two bodies have been found while more than 50 are missing, including nine army personnel, officials engaged in rescue operations said.