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NEW DELHI: After being at their wit's end for a week, rescuing over 84,000 survivors across flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, the authorities finally appeared to be in control of the situation on Monday with none of the 6,000 still stranded in a life-threatening condition.
Braving adverse weather as a fresh bout of rains grounded many rescue choppers, the armed and paramilitary forces still managed to evacuate 4,000 people to safer places using rope bridges. Even the 6,000 still stuck, mostly in Badrinath, are safe and equipped with enough food and shelter arranged by rescue forces.
"The worst is over now. All are safe in Badrinath, Harsil and Gangotri. Army, ITBP and NDRF are present there. It will take 2-3 days to finish the rescue work. Kedarnath valley is almost evacuated," Uttarakhand CM Vijay Bahuguna said.
Speaking of the rescue operations over the past few days, Bahuguna told TOI, "Initially we had small airplanes of the state government and then the big aircraft of the IAF arrived. We have evacuated about 4,000 people from Kedarnath and Gaurikund. Now less than 100 people are left in Garur Chatti. The choppers are constantly bringing people. From tomorrow, NDRF will start combing operations on foot. NDRF and Army jawans have reached everywhere. Wherever people are stranded, be it Kedarnath, Harsil, Gangotri, there is Army and civilian presence. There is man-to-man contact. It is not that they have been left to the mercy of nature. Now mobiles are working in Badrinath."
Despite climate-related hurdles, opening new trek routes and adding more rope-bridges over the Alaknanda, forces managed to rescue close to 4,000 people stranded in various parts of the Char Dham religious circuit.
Now, only 6,000 remain stuck in Badrinath, Gangotri and Harsil even as Kedarnath, worst affected by floods, has been declared clear of all pilgrims and locals. Only 50-odd sadhus and mule owners, some of whom were caught with money stolen from the temple chest, remain in Kedarnath in the custody of forces.
Though rains are forecast for the next three days and fresh landslides have already blocked some recently opened roads, authorities are not too worried as all stranded people have been reached and are being provided food, shelter and medical care.
To ensure quick evacuation by road as air operations remain suspended, ITBP has added two more rope bridges over Alaknanda. Close to 500 people were also evacuated from Govindghat by vehicles and taken to Rishikesh via Joshimath. The force also rescued 267 people from Maneri in Uttarkashi. About 150 people are still stranded there.
Army, meanwhile, rescued 1,375 people from Badrinath and Harsil, the only place where air evacuation was carried out in the morning. While 1,463 people were airlifted from Harsil by Army and the Air Force, 1,340 are reportedly still stuck there.
"Weather is expected to remain bad but there could be small windows for air evacuation. However, since people are now stranded in areas where trek routes and roads can be created we will continue evacuation on foot and through vehicles tomorrow and day after. BRO is already clearing some landslide sites," ITBP chief Ajay Chadha said.
Amid hope, there is also the gloom of dead bodies spread across the kedarnath valley. Although counting of the dead has not yet started, ITBP and NDRF have together found 394 dead bodies in the valley. Sources said some of those among the 50 Sadhus and mule owners left behind in Kedarnath were found to be carrying Rs 1.14 crore in cash apart from jewellery. While the cash is suspected to be belonging to temple, the jewellery seems to have been stolen from the dead, sources said.
Braving adverse weather as a fresh bout of rains grounded many rescue choppers, the armed and paramilitary forces still managed to evacuate 4,000 people to safer places using rope bridges. Even the 6,000 still stuck, mostly in Badrinath, are safe and equipped with enough food and shelter arranged by rescue forces.
"The worst is over now. All are safe in Badrinath, Harsil and Gangotri. Army, ITBP and NDRF are present there. It will take 2-3 days to finish the rescue work. Kedarnath valley is almost evacuated," Uttarakhand CM Vijay Bahuguna said.
Speaking of the rescue operations over the past few days, Bahuguna told TOI, "Initially we had small airplanes of the state government and then the big aircraft of the IAF arrived. We have evacuated about 4,000 people from Kedarnath and Gaurikund. Now less than 100 people are left in Garur Chatti. The choppers are constantly bringing people. From tomorrow, NDRF will start combing operations on foot. NDRF and Army jawans have reached everywhere. Wherever people are stranded, be it Kedarnath, Harsil, Gangotri, there is Army and civilian presence. There is man-to-man contact. It is not that they have been left to the mercy of nature. Now mobiles are working in Badrinath."
Despite climate-related hurdles, opening new trek routes and adding more rope-bridges over the Alaknanda, forces managed to rescue close to 4,000 people stranded in various parts of the Char Dham religious circuit.
Now, only 6,000 remain stuck in Badrinath, Gangotri and Harsil even as Kedarnath, worst affected by floods, has been declared clear of all pilgrims and locals. Only 50-odd sadhus and mule owners, some of whom were caught with money stolen from the temple chest, remain in Kedarnath in the custody of forces.
Though rains are forecast for the next three days and fresh landslides have already blocked some recently opened roads, authorities are not too worried as all stranded people have been reached and are being provided food, shelter and medical care.
To ensure quick evacuation by road as air operations remain suspended, ITBP has added two more rope bridges over Alaknanda. Close to 500 people were also evacuated from Govindghat by vehicles and taken to Rishikesh via Joshimath. The force also rescued 267 people from Maneri in Uttarkashi. About 150 people are still stranded there.
Army, meanwhile, rescued 1,375 people from Badrinath and Harsil, the only place where air evacuation was carried out in the morning. While 1,463 people were airlifted from Harsil by Army and the Air Force, 1,340 are reportedly still stuck there.
"Weather is expected to remain bad but there could be small windows for air evacuation. However, since people are now stranded in areas where trek routes and roads can be created we will continue evacuation on foot and through vehicles tomorrow and day after. BRO is already clearing some landslide sites," ITBP chief Ajay Chadha said.
Amid hope, there is also the gloom of dead bodies spread across the kedarnath valley. Although counting of the dead has not yet started, ITBP and NDRF have together found 394 dead bodies in the valley. Sources said some of those among the 50 Sadhus and mule owners left behind in Kedarnath were found to be carrying Rs 1.14 crore in cash apart from jewellery. While the cash is suspected to be belonging to temple, the jewellery seems to have been stolen from the dead, sources said.
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