Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) [India] August 7 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Sainji village and disaster-affected areas on Thursday, meeting locals and assuring them of all possible help. During his visit, CM Dhami reviewed the relief and rescue operations from ground zero.
CM Dhami reached the disaster-affected area within 24 hours of the disaster.
The CM also visited a hospital in Uttarkashi to meet people affected by the recent natural disaster. During his visit, he inquired about their well-being and instructed doctors to ensure proper treatment for all victims.
Additionally, the Uttarakhand government informed ANI that 274 individuals, stranded in Gangotri and other areas, have been safely evacuated to Harshil. The group comprises 131 people from Gujarat, 123 from Maharashtra, 21 from Madhya Pradesh, 12 from Uttar Pradesh, 6 from Rajasthan, seven from Delhi, five from Assam, five from Karnataka, three from Telangana, and one from Punjab. All are reported safe and are being transported to Uttarkashi or Dehradun.
According to the Uttarakhand Police, the people rescued under the Uttarkashi Disaster Relief Operation were brought from Harshil to Jollygrant Airport, Dehradun, on Thursday by Chinook helicopter. Medical check-ups are being conducted for all the evacuees at the airport.
Relief and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing, with the joint efforts from the Uttarakhand Police, SDRF, Army, ITBP and other relief agencies.
Earlier, CM Dhami visited the Matli Helipad in Uttarkashi district, where he met individuals airlifted from the flood-affected Dharali village. The evacuees were rescued as part of a coordinated multi-agency operation involving the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities.
The Chief Minister interacted with those brought to safety and assured them of all possible assistance from the state government. He also spoke with personnel from the administration, NDRF, and SDRF teams preparing for further rescue missions in the region.
The Uttarakhand government informed ANI that the evacuation efforts began early Thursday morning. By 9:30 am, a total of 44 people had been rescued from Dharali and Harsil and transported to Matli by ITBP helicopters. The rescued individuals are being moved to safer locations where they will receive medical attention and shelter.
Among those rescued was an injured person, who was airlifted to Matli for immediate medical assistance.
In Rudraprayag district, incessant rainfall forced the suspension of the Kedarnath Yatra throughout Tuesday. According to Rudraprayag Police, pilgrims returning from the Kedarnath Dham were safely assisted by police and SDRF teams. Authorities cleared the obstructed route between Gaurikund and Sonprayag, allowing pilgrims to be safely escorted to secure locations.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan is closely monitoring the situation and ongoing rescue operations from the State Emergency Operations Centre.
The state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple agencies.
Earlier in the day, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DIG Gambhir Singh Chauhan said that helicopter services have been deployed to evacuate those trapped. Multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, NDRF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local administration, are coordinating efforts both on the ground and in the air.
"We have four teams, but since all the roads have been blocked and damaged, they couldn't reach Dharali. Yesterday, 35 personnel were able to reach via helicopters. With the helicopter services beginning, the to-and-fro movement of personnel and evacuees has begun. There was a communication issue as well, but since this morning, our satellite phones have been working. State administration, army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and even local people are helping each other in the search and rescue operations," Chauhan said.
On Wednesday, around 190 people were rescued from Dharali following a devastating cloudburst that triggered massive flash floods and landslides in the area, with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the missing. The rescue and relief operations in the affected areas are in full swing.