Journalism of Courage
Twelve people including a nine-month-old child are reported dead and many are still missing following a cloudburst in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Sunday, as rescue teams started operations to help people stranded in the affected areas on Monday.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday and apprised him of the losses due to heavy rain and other natural disasters in the state.
Shah has sought a detailed report on the disaster and has assured full cooperation to the state from the Centre, officials here said.
“Helicopters that were pressed into action have reached the affected village with communication equipment, relief material and rescue teams. Four injured people have been airlifted to Dehradun and admitted to hospital,” S A Murugesan, Secretary (in-charge) Disaster Management, said.
In the meeting with Amit Shah, Chief Minister Rawat informed that more than 32 people have died in natural disasters in different parts of the state so far this, and losses due to these disasters are pegged at approximately Rs 175 crore.
But according to data provided by Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), at least 35 deaths had been recorded in the current monsoon season till Friday last week.
Including the 11 deaths in the Uttarkashi due to cloudburst, the toll so far this monsoon would be 47.
