NEW DELHI: Thousands of people — including pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand
which faced devastation due to flashfloods in the Ganga and its
tributaries — may not get quick relief as incessant rains and landslides
completely broke down the state's communication network on Monday,
making it difficult for Army and ITBP personnel to reach the trouble
spots.
Though hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places during the day, further relief and rescue operations got disrupted due to extensive landslides in the routes connecting Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Admitting difficulties, NDMA's vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy told TOI that the next two-three days were crucial as the authorities did not know the exact locations of stranded people and the extent of damage.
"It seems the state authorities did not anticipate such a situation. We are in constant touch with local authorities after rushing Army and paramilitary personnel for immediate relief and rescue operations," Reddy said.
Besides 12 teams (540 personnel) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), over 1,000 Army, ITBP and BSF personnel reached different locations in Uttarakhand. The Army has already launched a dozen reconnaissance parties to inaccessible areas to obtain first hand information.
"We are making all out efforts and are continuously enhancing the operations to rescue as many people as we can. Sixty people were rescued on Monday by us in Haridwar," NDRF inspector general (operations) Sandeep Rai Rathore said.
Shelter and emergency medical centre to accommodate around 300 people
have been established at the ITBP camp in Joshimath. The paramilitary
force spokesperson said a number of yatris and vehicles were stranded
en-route to Badrinath as the road at Pandukeshwar, 30 km from Joshimath towards Badrinath, was blocked after landslides.
"Army personnel have also been pressed into relief and rescue operations in Yamunanagar district of Haryana where significant swell in the water levels of Yamuna left many persons including women and children stranded," an official said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has, meanwhile, kept its aircraft on standby at Ambala, Sarsawa, Bareilly and Agra for prompt missions in affected areas.
Home ministry officials, who held an emergency meeting over the situation here on Monday, said though state disaster management authorities and district administrations had done some preparatory work for the monsoon in consultation with NDMA, they did not anticipate trouble in mid-June as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have not witnessed such rains during this month in the past several years.
The NDMA vice-chairman,
however, said even as it was quite unusual to have such heavy rains in
June, it couldn't be an excuse and state authorities have to be better
prepared, keeping in mind the uncertainty of weather in this part of the
country.
Though hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places during the day, further relief and rescue operations got disrupted due to extensive landslides in the routes connecting Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Admitting difficulties, NDMA's vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy told TOI that the next two-three days were crucial as the authorities did not know the exact locations of stranded people and the extent of damage.
"It seems the state authorities did not anticipate such a situation. We are in constant touch with local authorities after rushing Army and paramilitary personnel for immediate relief and rescue operations," Reddy said.
Besides 12 teams (540 personnel) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), over 1,000 Army, ITBP and BSF personnel reached different locations in Uttarakhand. The Army has already launched a dozen reconnaissance parties to inaccessible areas to obtain first hand information.
"We are making all out efforts and are continuously enhancing the operations to rescue as many people as we can. Sixty people were rescued on Monday by us in Haridwar," NDRF inspector general (operations) Sandeep Rai Rathore said.
Shelter and emergency medical centre to accommodate around 300 people
have been established at the ITBP camp in Joshimath. The paramilitary
force spokesperson said a number of yatris and vehicles were stranded
en-route to Badrinath as the road at Pandukeshwar, 30 km from Joshimath towards Badrinath, was blocked after landslides."Army personnel have also been pressed into relief and rescue operations in Yamunanagar district of Haryana where significant swell in the water levels of Yamuna left many persons including women and children stranded," an official said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has, meanwhile, kept its aircraft on standby at Ambala, Sarsawa, Bareilly and Agra for prompt missions in affected areas.
Home ministry officials, who held an emergency meeting over the situation here on Monday, said though state disaster management authorities and district administrations had done some preparatory work for the monsoon in consultation with NDMA, they did not anticipate trouble in mid-June as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have not witnessed such rains during this month in the past several years.
The NDMA vice-chairman,
however, said even as it was quite unusual to have such heavy rains in
June, it couldn't be an excuse and state authorities have to be better
prepared, keeping in mind the uncertainty of weather in this part of the
country.
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