New Delhi: The death toll in disaster-hit Uttarakhand rose to 67 on Friday as more bodies were recovered while rescue teams shifted dozens of people trapped at different places to safer places.
According to a report released late at night from the State Emergency Operations Centre here, the death toll has risen to 67 while 24 others were injured in the recent devastation caused by heavy rains.
SDRF rescues 65 tourists safely
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams rescued 65 tourists, including 6 foreigners stranded near Pindari and Kafni glaciers in Bageshwar district, while 23 others were evacuated from Darma Valley in Pithoragarh. The bodies of 5 members of a trekking team missing on the way from Harsil in Uttarkashi to Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh have been recovered. However, the official figures do not include the other 2 bodies found by the Himachal Pradesh rescue team. 5 people are also feared dead in the Bageshwar district due to rain.
Kumaon region was most affected by the disaster
The Kumaon region was the most affected due to incessant rain on 3 consecutive days, with the highest number of deaths and initial estimates of property damage worth about Rs 200 crore. Meanwhile, Bageshwar District Collector Vineet Kumar said that SDRF teams evacuated 65 tourists including 6 foreigners from Pindari and Kafni glaciers.
On the other hand, 2 Cheetah helicopters, that were ready to carry out a search operation for a trekking team of 6 members stranded at Sundardhanga in Bageshwar could not take off due to bad weather. Kumar said that 4 members of the 10-member team have returned safely. He said, "We suspect that there may be some casualties. The helicopter will try to fly again on Saturday morning in search of the missing trackers of the team.
District Collector said that apart from this, 15 people who went missing from Sarmul, the source of river Saryu, are also safe. Pithoragarh District Collector Ashish Chauhan said that 23 people have also been evacuated from the Darma valley of the district. These include 21 tourists, as well as 2 locals who are unwell.
Officials in the Uttarkashi district said that 2 members who were missing from the Chitkul trek team have been found in injured condition, and are being treated at Harsil and Uttarkashi hospital. The maximum deaths in Kumaon were recorded from Nainital where 35 people lost their lives in the disaster. 11 deaths were recorded in Champawat, 6 in Almora, 3 in Pithoragarh, 2 in Udham Singh Nagar, and 1 in Bageshwar.
CM visits disaster-affected areas
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday visited the disaster-hit Dungri village of Chamoli district and met the families of those killed in a landslide during the recent heavy rains to console them. The Chief Minister along with Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, State Disaster Management Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, and other officials reached the village to take stock of the situation himself after crossing the slippery steep uphill with a stick in hand.
On October 19, 2 members of a family were buried in the debris of a landslide after heavy rains in the village. Consoling the family members, the Chief Minister said that the government will extend all possible help to the affected families. Dhami assured them that there would be no shortage of resources in the disaster relief work.
After taking stock of the damage caused by the disaster in Dungri village, the Chief Minister reviewed the disaster relief operations with the officials and asked them to restore the blocked roads, damaged power, and drinking water lines at the earliest and extend all possible help to the families affected by the disaster.