Uttarkashi Heroics: Airlift Rescues and Ground Efforts Amid Calamity

In a significant rescue operation amid a disaster-stricken Uttarkashi district, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has airlifted 44 individuals to safety following a recent cloudburst. According to the Uttarakhand government, rescued persons were relocated by helicopter to Matli and are being securely transported to their respective destinations. Rescue efforts continue in the hard-hit locales of Dharali and Harsil.

Indian security and disaster management teams are intensifying their rescue missions in response to the cloudburst and subsequent mudslide. The Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), alongside local police and administration, are conducting large-scale rescue operations in Dharali.

Amid these efforts, two severely injured individuals have been airlifted from a health camp in Matli to AIIMS Rishikesh for advanced treatment and are currently receiving care in the hospital. Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey reported two helicopter sorties have flown from Harsil with evacuees, while an IAF Chinook packed with NDRF personnel and essential supplies is poised for takeoff from Jolly Grant Airport.

Commissioner Pandey emphasized that helicopters have started operations, prioritizing the evacuation of pilgrims from Gangotri Dham. Active throughout the day, two sorties carried 9-10 evacuees each from Harsil. Meanwhile, with remediation efforts underway, a Chinook is ready to deploy from Jolly Grant Airport, loaded with NDRF staff and critical resources destined for Harsil. Local authorities have set up field offices, and technical professionals are on the ground. The state's Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, is personally overseeing operations in Uttarkashi.

Chief Minister Dhami noted that, despite the extensive damage to routes between Uttarkashi and Harsil, efforts are being made to stabilize the situation within days. He assured that the region is receiving full attention, with the coordination of rescue operations actively taking place on-site.

(With inputs from agencies.)