Kedarnath Cloudburst: NDRF personnel rescues 94 stranded people, 8 personnel from Kedar Valley
Kedarnath Cloudburst: A total of eight National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) personnel and 94 people, including both children and patients, were rescued on Monday morning from the Kedarnath valley
The intense weather event, which occurred, led to a sudden influx of water and debris, stranding people in the rugged and treacherous terrain of the valley.
The rescue operations that were hindered due to poor weather conditions in the valley resumed today.
The MI-17 and Chinook helicopters of the Indian Air Force dropped off the airlifted passengers at Chardham helipad and Gauchar airstrips respectively.
The Ministry of Defence in a post on X posted "IAF continues rescue operations in Kedarnath. Mi17 and ALH helicopters are operating from Guptakashi while Chinook is operating from Gauchar helipad conducting multiple sorties to pick up stranded people from Kedar Valley."
The Uttarakhand government has established a medical camp in Gauchar to assist those being rescued from the recent disaster. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his gratitude on X, praising the local community for their invaluable support in the rescue efforts in the Kedarnath region.
Dhami highlighted the local tradition of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' and acknowledged the contributions of village head Shri Mulayam Singh Tindori, Sonprayag Vyapar Mandal President Shri Ankit Gairola, and others involved, including horse-mule operators, BKTC members, Tirtha Purohit Samaj, and GMVN employees. Their collective efforts have significantly mitigated the impact of the heavy rainfall. Dhami extended his heartfelt thanks, stating, "Jai Hind, Jai Uttarakhand."
Earlier today, dog squads led by District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajawar commenced search operations from Rambara to the Bhimbali area in Rudraprayag. By 9 am on Monday, 133 individuals had been successfully airlifted with the assistance of MI 17, Chinook, and other helicopters.
- With inputs from agencies
