One body retrieved in Uttarkashi's flood-hit Dharali; Modi speaks to Dhami
Nearly half of the picturesque Dharali village was ravaged by flash floods on Tuesday afternoon.
The village is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, from where the Ganga originates, and is home to several hotels and home stays.
Four deaths have so far been confirmed in the flash flood, which followed a cloudburst. Around 130 people have been evacuated to safety, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to get an update on the situation and assured him of the Centre's assistance.
Dhami held a meeting with officials at the State Emergency Operation Centre here to review the rescue efforts.
He surveyed the flooded area in Dharali and Harsil from a helicopter.
"The rescue work is apace. Teams from the army, ITBP, and SDRF have reached the spot. Around 70-80 people have been rescued... Debris has reached an army base. A road has been blocked. The DM and an SP rank officer are on their way to the spot. It's a challenging situation as it is still raining there," he told PTI Videos.
Dhami said arrangements have been made for medicines and food, and 160 police personnel have been deployed, 10 of them senior and three SP-rank, to oversee the disbursement of ration. Three nodal officers have been appointed from the CM's office.
"Every life matters to us," the chief minister said Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli, quoting the ITBP, said that one body was retrieved from the flash flood site.
The Indian Army has kept its MI-17 and Chinook helicopters on standby to look for the stranded. They will take off only after the weather clears.
At least 60 people are said to have gone missing, but the number is likely higher, as many had gathered for the Har Dudh fair in Dharali village when the tragedy struck.
The missing include 11 soldiers, Defence spokesperson Lt Col Manish Shrivastava said.
Colonel Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 Raj Rif, is leading the relief and rescue operations with a 150-soldier team.
Despite its soldiers going missing and its base being hit, the team is working with full courage and determination, Shrivastava said.
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