Uttarakhand: Indian Air Force airlifts 201 people including 17 NDRF personnel to safe areas from Kedarnath Valley
Aug 05, 2024
Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], August 5 : The Indian Air Force on Monday airlifted 201 people to safe areas including 17 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel from the Kedarnath Valley.
Approximately 2000 kg of relied material were also supplied to critical areas of the state till Monday.
Earlier, a total of eight NDRF personnel and 94 people, including both children and patients, were rescued on Monday morning from the Kedarnath 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."
Additionally, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took to X and thanked the local people for providing help to the administration.
The post read, "This is the culture of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' of Devbhoomi. The administration is getting full support from the local people in the ongoing rescue operation in the Kedarnath area.
Village head Shri Mulayam Singh Tindori, President of Sonprayag Vyapar Mandal Shri Ankit Gairola, Shri Dharmesh Nautiyal (Shersi), Shri Dirghayu Goswami (Gaurikund), former heads of villages, all villagers, horse-mule operators, officers and members of BKTC, Tirtha Purohit Samaj, employees of GMVN are also actively involved in rescue operations along with the local administration. It is because of the tireless efforts of all of you that the major damage caused by excessive rain could be prevented. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Jai Hind, Jai Uttarakhand."
Earlier today, dog squads under the leadership of District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Nandan Singh Rajawar started search operations from Rambara to the Bhimbali area in Rudraprayag.
According to Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, the rescue operation of the passengers stranded in the Kedarnath route due to heavy rains on July 31 is going on a war footing.
