Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 6 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a joint rescue and relief operation in response to a cloudburst-triggered flash flood in Uttarkashi's Harsil, which has left the region isolated, the IAF said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the Indian Air Force, Mi-17 helicopters and ALH Mk-III aircraft stationed at Bareilly have been placed on high alert. Additionally, An-32 and C-295 transport aircraft from Agra have landed in Dehradun to support the mission in the flood-affected areas.
The statement read, "The Indian Air Force has swung into action in response to the flash flood in Harsil, which has isolated the valley. Mi-17s and ALH Mk-III, at Bareilly, are on high alert and An-32s, C-295s, from Agra, have landed at Dehradun for the mission in the affected areas."
Air Force stations in Agra and Bareilly were activated overnight to load relief and rescue material and to coordinate with Indian Army personnel for deployment in the rescue missions.
Despite dense fog and persistent rainfall hampering flight operations in the morning hours, the IAF stated that a brief improvement in visibility is being utilised to conduct sorties.
"Air Force stations at Agra and Bareilly were activated during the night for loading relief and rescue material, along with preparing the IAF and Indian Army, for the rescue missions. Though the dense fog and rain were restricting flying in the morning, the small window of improved visibility is being exploited by the IAF for this joint civil-military operation to address the disaster," the statement added.
Earlier, the Indian Army launched a swift and coordinated Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation in the wake of a devastating cloudburst near Dharali, close to Harsil in Uttarakhand. The region is currently cut off from both north and south due to multiple road breaches and a collapsed bridge.
According to a statement from the Indian Army, over 225 Army personnel including infantry and engineering teams are on ground for search, rescue, and relief tasks. Combat engineers have reached Dharali to aid in clearing debris and restoring mobility.
As of 3 pm, seven teams of the Indian Army are operating with Reeco Radar near Tekla while search and rescue dogs are deployed at Harsil; more are en route from Remount and Veterinary Centres.
As per the Indian Army, military helipad at Harsil is operational. Three civil helicopters launched from Sahastradhara in coordination with SDRF have successfully landed at Bhatwari and Harsil for casualty evacuation and relief material delivery.
Chinook, Mi-17, ALH helicopters are on standby at Jolly Grant, Chandigarh, and Sarsawa for troop and material airlift - awaiting tasking clearance.
As of 3 pm, there are three confirmed fatalities while over 50 persons are reportedly missing (as per the Civil Administration).
According to the statement, nine personnel are also missing, including one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and eight jawans.
In a significant infrastructural damages, key road stretches near Bartwari, Linchigad, and Gangrani have been washed away, severely affecting movement.
Civil helipad at Dharali remains non-functional due to a mudslide.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that around 190 people have been rescued from the Dharali area, following a devastating cloudburst that triggered massive flash floods and landslides in the area.