Uttarakhand flood: 6,500 survivors await evacuation,bad weather hits rescue operation

“Four days ago,it was a very gloomy picture. That was the time we were getting into the interiors and finding utter devastation. We had no idea how many had survived or died and where all the survivors were. Today,we have been able to pull out all the stranded people and have brought them to our temporary camps from where they are being evacuated in a coordinated manner,” Lt Gen N S Bawa,General Officer Commanding,Uttar Bharat Area,who has been coordinating rescue and relief operations,told The Indian Express.

Though air operations in most sectors except the Dharashu-Harsil axis were affected due to the bad weather on Monday,the officer said the flights would continue to either drop supplies or evacuate the estimated 6,500 persons who are currently stranded at the various relief camps.

“Today there is a lot of confidence that the situation has been brought well under control. However,there are still more that 2,000 people stuck between Harsil and Uttarkashi and approximately 4,500 at Badrinath,” said Lt Gen Bawa,adding that over 1,000 people are likely to be evacuated from Badrinath to Joshimath by Monday evening,a large majority of them on foot,after the Army constructed temporary bridges and ropeways across cut-off areas. “We are encouraging all able-bodied people to come by foot so that the air operations are directed only towards the sick and the elderly. Our teams are accompanying survivors across the difficult terrain,” said Lt Gen Bawa.

Foot operations will also continue to identify and evacuate any survivors found in isolated patches. Besides troops from the 5 Sikh regiment,paratroopers from the Agra-based 50 Para Brigade are also involved in these search operations. However,by Monday no new pockets with survivors were found by rescue troops. While survivors are living under difficult conditions in the relief camps,adequate food,water and medical supplies have been made available through air drops to meet basic needs.

Sources said that with weather reports indicating that the next three to four days will not be very conducive for flying,with predictions of heavy rainfall,both the Army and the Air Force are confident that rescue operations will continue to the maximum extent possible.

Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne has assured that “helicopter rotors will not stop churning till such time we get each one of you out,do not lose hope and hang in there”,in a message to those stuck at relief camps. In its biggest ever air evacuation effort till date,the IAF has airlifted a total of 10,731 persons,flying about 1163 sorties. Most operations are being carried out by Mi 17 and Advanced Light Choppers.