Disaster relief work continued in Bastadi area of Pithoragarh district on Friday with about eight people still missing in the region apart from which three people remain missing in the disaster affected Ghat area of Chamoli district.
As the various Government agencies and departments work towards clearing blocked roads and restoring supply of drinking water and electricity to affected villages, the meteorological department has issued warning for maintaining a watch considering the probability of heavy rain forecast to occur at isolated places especially in Kumaon region during the next 48 hours starting from the morning of July 10.
According to the Friday evening status report issued by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), relief work in the worst affected Bastadi village in Pithoragarh district is in its last stage. After completion of the search and rescue efforts, a medical team will be available in Bastadi so that preventive and treatment measures can be taken in case of contagion or other illness in the area. Sanitisation work will also continue in the affected areas, State authorities aver.
A total of Rs 90,98,700 has been provided as financial assistance to the disaster affected families in Pithoragarh district so far. An additional relief commissioner has also been posted in Pithoragarh to ensure timely disbursal of compensation money to the affected families.
likewise, a total sum of Rs 42,00,000 has been provided till date as financial assistance to 255 disaster affected families in the Chamoli district. Out of a total of 164 blocked roads, including 14 roads reported blocked on July 8, 49 roads have been reopened for traffic with work in progress to clear 115 blocked roads.
According to official data, the disaster incidence on July 1 had caused disruption of power supply to total 1,185 villages out of which 1,171 villages have had their electricity supply restored. In Chamoli district’s Ghat area power supply to 90 villages was disrupted out of which 84 villages have had their electricity supply restored.
Of the total 87 potable water schemes damaged, water supply had been resumed in 76 as on Friday while supply in the remaining 11 water schemes is expected to be resumed by July 10. Potable water supply has been restored in 30 of the 31 damaged water supply schemes in Ghat area of Chamoli with the remaining one village expected to have its water supply restored by July 10.
Meanwhile, weather forecast released by the meteorological science department, Dehradun, on Friday afternoon, there is probability of heavy rain at isolated places especially in Kumaon region during a period of 48 hours starting on the morning of July 10.