Dehradun:
Over one lakh people have been rescued in the last 14 days since floods and torrential rains ravaged Uttarakhand. But more than 1000 people still remain stranded in the holy town of Badrinath. Another 3000 are reported to be missing.
Here are the latest developments in the story:
As the rescue operation has reached its final stage, the focus now is on the 1,000 people who are reported to be stranded in Badrinath. Most of those who are still awaiting rescue are in Army camps, with access to food, water and medical aid.
Army chief General Bikram Singh, who visited Uttarakhand yesterday, has said Army personnel will remain in the state till all those stuck in affected areas are evacuated to safety.
Intermittent rain hampered the process of clearing of debris and pulling out of bodies lying underneath in the temple town of Kedarnath and Guptkashi this morning.
In Kedarnath, the epicenter of the devastation, mass cremation of bodies is taking place at various places to minimise chances of an epidemic outbreak.Till now, 34 bodies have been cremated.
So far, the union health ministry has assured that no outbreak of disease has been reported from any part of Uttarakhand, though there have been some cases of diarrhoea in Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag.
A team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India will visit the 1,000-year-old temple to assess the extent of damage to the structure and to prepare a roadmap for restoration work. (Read: Kedarnath shrine damage to be assessed by experts)
The government is reportedly also planning to airlift excavators to Kedarnath for clearing boulders and debris accumulated there. "Boulders and huge debris have accumulated at Kedarnath and we are planning to carry excavators onboard special Mi-26 helicopters to clear the debris there," said M Sashidhar Reddy, Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) who visited the flood-hit state yesterday.
According to the NDMA, roads between Badrinath and Rambara, Joshimath and Govindghat and Kund and Chamoli via Okhimath and Chopta have been repaired and opened for vehicular traffic. Road connecting Guptakashi and Gaurikund, Uttarkashi and Gangotri are however yet to be opened.
Out of the total 22,000 villages in the state, 2,375 have been affected by flash floods and landslides. "Out of them, 1,636 have been connected so far while the rest 739 are yet to be connected," Mr Reddy added.
Efforts are being made to ensure supply of relief material to a large number of villages that have been cut off for nearly two weeks. Shortage of essential items, including foodgrains, has been reported from over 600 villages in Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts.
Post a comment