Uttarakhand: Rescue operations underway in rain-hit Tharali; CM Dhami visits disaster-hit areas

Dehradun, Aug 24 (PTI) Rescue and relief work continued on a war footing on Sunday at Tharali in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, where incessant rain wreaked havoc a day before, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visiting the affected area to take stock of the situation.

A 20-year-old woman died while a 78-year-old man went missing on Saturday after heavy overnight rain in Tharali sent a rain drain flooding, depositing debris at several houses and markets in the area, officials said.

Nine people were left injured, out of which six were airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh by a helicopter in view of their critical condition, they said.

According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), 150-200 people have been evacuated from the affected areas and taken to safer places.

Chief Minister Dhami on Sunday conducted a field inspection of the disaster-hit areas and took stock of the rescue and relief operations.

After speaking to the affected people, Dhami directed the concerned officials to provide all possible assistance to them.

Many houses and shops in the tehsil office, Chepdon Bazaar, Kotdeep Bazaar, and the surrounding areas were filled with one to two feet of debris.

A total of 41 houses, including the sub-divisional magistrate's residence, have been damaged in Tharali and its surrounding areas, while 11 vehicles have been buried under the debris.

According to the SEOC, more than 150 officers and employees from various agencies, including the district administration, police, district disaster management team, fire service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police are engaged in the relief and rescue operations on a war footing.

The body of Kavita Bisht was recovered from a house destroyed by the debris in Sangwada village, while a search operation is underway for the 78-year-old man missing in Chepad, located a short distance from the village.

The SEOC said the administration is making arrangements for food and stay of those shifted to relief camps.

The Karnaprayag-Tharali-Dewal road remains obstructed at 12-15 places within a radius of 10 km of Tharali due to piling debris and washout, which are being cleared with the help of excavators. PTI DPT ANM ARI