Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 9 (ANI): A total of 164 people have been brought from Dharali-Harshil to the ITBP Matli helipad, according to the Uttarakhand government. Speaking to ANI, the state
government said that all essential items are being sent to the affected areas through helicopters. The people being rescued are also being sent safely to their destinations, as per their convenience, after first aid. The state government said that, along with rescue teams, the availability of all types of relief material is also being ensured in the disaster-affected areas of Harshil-Dharali. Under ‘Operation Dharali,’ the Indian Army has been victorious in its efforts to restore mobile and internet connectivity in Uttarakhand’s Harsil. The Army managed to repair an optical fibre cable, meant for Army communication, which was damaged by flash floods. Army signalers carried out the repair work amidst ongoing rescue operations in Dharali, ensuring communication links for the area. In a parallel effort, bridges damaged by the floods were repaired at night on August 8 near Limchigad, close to Harsil, despite continuing rain. The repair work was carried out jointly by Army personnel and the civil administration to restore connectivity in the affected region. Amid devastation caused by the cloudburst, the rescue operations are underway with the disaster response forces trying to extricate those stranded in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi. Four days after the devastating floods hit Dharali and Harsil, a total of 566 people were evacuated by Friday noon from the affected areas. At the same time, personnel still carried out rescue operations for 300 people who were stranded. At least five people have been reported dead, and 50 are still missing. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been actively involved in the rescue operations, utilising state-of-the-art equipment, including a victim locating camera and thermal imaging camera. Dog squads have been deployed alongside rescue personnel to search for stranded individuals. The mobile network was restored in the disaster-hit Harsil valley. However, the landslides have disrupted the Char Dham Yatra. (ANI)
