Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7 (HBTV): Amid the ongoing disaster response in Uttarkashi district following a recent cloudburst, the Uttarakhand government on Thursday informed ANI that the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has airlifted 44 individuals to safety since this morning.

The rescued individuals were evacuated by helicopter to Matli and are now being transported safely to their respective destinations. Rescue operations are currently underway in the affected areas of Dharali and Harsil.

Security and disaster management forces, including the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Uttarakhand Police and the local administration, are conducting a large-scale rescue operation in Dharali.

Two seriously injured individuals have been referred from the health camp in Matli to AIIMS Rishikesh for advanced treatment. Both have been admitted to the hospital.

Providing an update on the rescue operations, Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said that two sorties with 9–10 evacuees had taken off from Harsil, and an IAF Chinook helicopter would soon depart from Jolly Grant Airport carrying NDRF personnel and essential materials.

Pandey said, ‘Our heli operations have begun. Our first priority is to evacuate pilgrims from the Gangotri Dham. Two sorties with 9–10 evacuees have taken off from Harsil, and operations will go on all day. An IAF Chinook will soon take off from Jolly Grant Airport with NDRF personnel and essential materials, which will be taken to Harsil. The District Magistrate and SSP have established their offices in the field. Technical experts of all essential services have reached there.’

He added that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is also in Uttarkashi and is personally supervising the rescue operations.

‘Currently, our search and rescue operation is in full swing, and we hope that within one or two days, the situation will come back to normal. The road from Uttarkashi to Harsil is extensively damaged, and it will take some time to rebuild. The CM is also camping in Uttarkashi and supervising all operations,’ he said.

(ANI)