Army rescues over 7,000 stranded persons

LUCKNOW: In a bid to intensify rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand, which has been hit by severe floods, the Army has deployed more than 5,600 jawans and officers to aid the state government in its efforts. As per the latest reports received on Tuesday evening, under operation Ganga, the Army has been able to evacuate 1,150 persons from Harsil area; 6,000 from Joshimath and 700 from Tawaghat area. Speaking to reporters, Lieutenant General Anil Chait, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command, said, "More than 5,600 Army personnel including jawans and officers have spread out across the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand and Saharanpur, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar and Pilibhit districts of Uttar Pradesh to aid the civilians and pilgrims. Army assistance centres have been made operational at Harsil, Rudraprayag, Joshimath, Mana, Gagriya, Govindghat and Dharchula to provide shelter, food, first aid and drinking water to scores of pilgrims stranded at various locations due to torrential rain and swollen rivers." He further added that eight quick reaction medical teams have established medical aid posts at a number of locations and as many as four ambulance vehicles deployed to evacuate the injured. The Army has undertaken rescue and relief operations in four sectors namely Harsil, Kedarnath, Joshimath and Dharchula. Army column has evacuated as many as 600 persons across a rivulet by laying a temporary bridge of wooden logs, and all persons have been brought to safety. Two officers and 24 soldiers have been inducted by helicopter this morning into Sirsi near Gauri kund, 17 kilometres from Kedarnath. "In Joshimath sector, national highway-58 has been washed away at Govindghat, and nearly 2000 rescued persons are being housed in Joshimath at present. As many as 1100 army shelters have been installed, efforts are underway to lay cable bridge across Alakhnanda to evacuate stranded Hemkund Sahib pilgrims. More than 450 were evacuated yesterday. Many people have been evacuated from low lying areas of Dharchula and adjoining areas flooded by swollen Kali River," Lt Gen Chait further said. Army columns are presently in the process of evacuating marooned villagers at Rawli, almost eight kilometres west of Bijnor. One Army relief column (roughly 100 men) is now evacuating stranded people from Shamli and Daulatpur area of Saharanpur district. Two Army columns and personnel of Border Roads Organisation have now cleared the road up to 30 kilometres south of Dharasu on Rishikesh - Uttarkashi Road. Nearly 200 persons of Tharali village, almost 5 kilometres North of Harsil have been evacuated and brought to safety this morning. Humanitarian assistance in terms of food, shelter, warm clothing and medical aid has been provided across the regions. Surya Medical Emergency Helpline (18001805558, 18004190282 and 800983388) was of immense help to stranded pilgrims, and more than 800 calls have been received so far. The Army also confirmed that 15 major landslides had hit the area between Rishikesh to Joshimath. Border Roads Organisation has been deployed to clear the debris and make transportation possible at least for the light vehicles. However, pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are safe. "The Army has also made provisions of establishing communication of the people at the relief camp with their family members via satellite phones," said the GOC-in-C Central Command. When asked what would be the course of relief and rescue operations in days to come, Lt Gen Chait said that safety and security of the pilgrims is of utmost importance for the Army, followed by the safety and well being of the materials and finally every attempt would be made to make logistic bases, which would act as relief islands. "Apart from this efforts are on to make helipads, so that relief and rescue operations are further intensified," Chait said and added that military establishment in Munsiyari sector and ITBP ( Indo-Tibetan Border Police) post at Sela were washed away. The Army is in the process of making helipads mainly at the places of religious importance in the state, so that maximum evacuation could be done. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief who would be in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, to supervise rescue and relief operations, has assured that Central Command would stand by each and every stranded pilgrim in this hour of crisis.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Army-rescues-over-7000-stranded-persons/articleshow/20658465.cms