Rescue operations continued in Dharali in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district on Thursday, two days after the village was hit by landslides and mudslides following a cloudburst. So far, officials have retrieved two bodies, while more than 400 people have been rescued.
While the rescue operation continues in Dharali, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning for the Uttarkashi district on Thursday. It has also warned of moderate to heavy rainfall in Uttarkashi from August 8 to 10.
"Generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers," the weather department said in its forecast.
NDRF plans to deploy more teams
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed multiple teams in Dharali for the rescue operation. On Wednesday, it also said that two more teams were set to be airlifted to Dharali from Dehradun, but couldn't be moved because of bad weather.
Dharali is about 140 km from Dehradun and usually a five-hour drive.
In addition to the NDRF, the Indian Army, ITBP, local administration, Uttarakhand Police, and the SDRF have also deployed their teams.
CM Dhami reviews situation
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami arrived in Dharali to take a stock of the situation. He has also held multiple meetings with top officials, including those from the Army, NDRF, ITBP, SDRF, Uttarakhand Police and local administration.
He also held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has assured him of all the necessary assistance from the central government. Noting that "every life matters", Dhami said proper arrangements have been made for medicines and food.
"The rescue work is apace. Teams from the army, ITBP, and SDRF have reached the spot A road has been blocked. The DM and an SP rank officer are on their way to the spot. It's a challenging situation as it is still raining there," he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
What had happened in Dharali?
Landslides triggered by the cloudburst have blocked arterial roads leading up to Dharali where dozens of people were trapped and many homes and cars swept away by the raging waters on Tuesday. Eleven Army personnel from the nearby camp in Harsil were among those missing.
At least half of Dharali was buried under the fast-flowing mudslide of slush, rubble and water. The village is the main stopover on the way to Gangotri, from where the Ganga originates, and is home to several hotels and homestays.
(With PTI inputs)
