Uttarkashi disaster: Full-fledged rescue operation begins with AIR Chinook, MI-17 pressed into service

Agencies failed to ascertain the death toll in the flash flood at Dharali Market near Harsil in Uttarkashi since an all-out rescue operation could start only on Wednesday afternoon after additional NDRF, SDRF, and other teams sent from Delhi and Dehradun to the ground zero.

The arrival of rescue teams was hampered by the debris blocking Gangotri highway leading to Dharali at Netala Gameshpur near Sukhi Tal.

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Officials in the state Disaster Management Department, Dehradun informed that a full-fledged rescue operation by the Central and state government teams could start only after Wednesday afternoon when additional forces of NDRF, SDRF, Indian army were airlifted from Dehradun.

A statement, issued by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Dehradun, said 130 victims of the disaster were rescued safely under highly-adverse weather conditions at Dharali.

Earlier, responding to the state’s demand, the Central government deployed two Chinook and two MI-17 helicopters of India Air Force from Chandigarh, Sarsawa and Agra to Jolly Grant Airport early Wednesday morning. Heavy machinery used in the rescue operation were airlifted to restore road connectivity at the disaster hit Dharali.

Around 125 Army personnel and 83 additional ITBP men were deployed in the rescue operations. Apart from this, BRO teams, including six officers and over 100 workers, were also engaged to clear blocked roads en route to Dharali.

While the Army, ITBP, SDRF, Police, and state Revenue Department teams have taken rescue works on the ground, relief camps were set up at Inter College Harsil, GMVN, and Jhala for shifting the victims to these places.

Efforts were also underway to restore electricity, water, and communication networks on a war-footing. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) and SDRF have begun constructing a temporary bridge at Limchagadh to facilitate the relief works.

Meanwhile, officials, not willing to be named, informed that the district administration and agencies engaged in the rescue operation have not yet been able to assess the extent of human losses in the disaster-hit area amidst reports that more than 70 persons, including 11 Army personnel were still missing.

So far, the search and rescue operation was being managed by nearly 150 Army personnel deployed at the Harsil base camp, SDRF and ITBP teams shifted from their Gangotri shrine area camps.