Uttarakhand Cloudburst: Rescue operations continue for third day

News18

5 days ago

Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], August 9 (ANI): The rescue operations in flood-affected regions in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi continue through helicopters for the third consecutive day on Saturday morning.The rescue operations are being carried out from the Matli helipad in Uttarkashi to the disaster-affected areas of Dharali and Harsil in Uttarakhand.People trapped in the Dharali-Harsil disaster are being rescued through helicopters and brought to Matli helipad, from where arrangements have also been made to ensure their safe arrival at their destination.The army camp in Harsil, which was swept away due to a cloudburst, paints a gory picture of the flash floods with its dilapidated remains. The devastating flash floods in Uttarakhand's Dharali and Harsil regions have left a trail of destruction, with survivors recounting harrowing moments of terror as they fought to save their lives.As rescue operations continue in Uttarakhand's flood-hit areas, survivors are coming forward to share their horrific experiences, describing the moment when their homes and belongings were swept away.'Our house got washed away. All our things were in it… Everything is gone. We just ran to save our lives…" said one of the victims to ANI. After being rescued, Pooja, a resident of Dehradun, who had gone to her parents' home in Dharali to celebrate Rakshabandhan, said, 'The situation there is bad… I could not tie a Rakhi to my brothers. I had to come back… A lot of people there lost their lives…"The flash floods in Uttarakhand have brought unimaginable destruction, with survivors describing the disaster as a nightmare that will stay with them forever.Three 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)