Uttarkashi, 9 August (H.S.): Rescue efforts intensified in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district on Saturday as four helicopters were deployed to airlift stranded residents following devastating flash floods and landslides earlier this week. The disaster, which struck the Dharali area on Tuesday, has claimed four lives, while 49 people remain missing.
According to official figures, 729 people have been safely evacuated from remote, cut-off regions. The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Authority’s fleet, including a Chinook helicopter, is conducting multiple sorties to reach those still sheltering in isolated locations. The Chinook also transported a generator from Jollygrant Airport to restore power in Dharali and surrounding villages, where electricity supply has been severely disrupted.
Relief operations are being carried out on a war footing. A Bailey bridge is under rapid construction at Limchigad near Gangnani to restore crucial road connectivity, with work continuing through the night in hopes of completion within 24 hours. However, the Gangotri Highway remains blocked at several points, delaying the movement of advanced equipment needed for debris clearance and the ongoing search for the missing in the flood-ravaged zones.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
