Flash floods, cloudbursts and landslips have so far claimed 131 lives in northern India. Thousands have been displaced in Uttar Pradesh
where several rivers are in spate and the death toll in Uttarakhand has reached 102. Rudraprayag district was the worst hit with 20 people dead and 73 buildings, including 40 hotels, along the banks of the Alaknanda swept away in the swirling waters of the river.
Over 70,000 pilgrims bound for the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are stranded in Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts of Uttarakhand with the famous chardham yatra having been suspended due to massive landslides and damage to the road network. The famous Kedarnath shrine was virtually submerged in mud and slush as the shrine, one of the four holy dhams, in Rudraprayag district bore the brunt of torrential rains. About 500 people, including several pilgrims, are said to be missing in the area.
The death toll may rise significantly once the water recedes and relief teams are able to access the affected areas.
Downpour and cloud burst together wiped out signs of Rambara and Saunprayag's main markets and washed away several bridges and buildings, changing the outline of the area.
Figure of stranded persons swelled to 70,000 including 25,000 in Kedarnath, 27,040 in Chamoli and 9,850 in Uttarkashi, 8,000 in Badrinath and 900 in Tehri.
The rains have caused heavy devastation around the Kedarnath temple and damaged its boundary at one side. Around 20 houses disappeared from
the scene at Silli and Vijay Nagar. Debris caused by destruction damaged 100 other houses in Vijay Nagar area.
Senior officials, including Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar and DGP Satyavrat, expressed
concern over the police personnel who were deployed at Gaurikund and Rambara police outpost.
Asked whether they had any idea about the locations of the police personnel posted in tough terrains, including Rambara police outpost and Jungle Chatti Chowki, they said: "No comment." The officials said that the efforts were on to trace them.
A platoon of Indian Reserve Battalion that left for Kedarnath to rescue the stranded persons has got stranded at Gaurikund. Police personnel deployed at Kedarnath police station took shelter at Baba Ashram in Garun Chatti. They are safe, claimed police disaster relief control room.
A helicopter has been allocated to district magistrate Chamoli for carrying out rescue operation at a pace. According to officials, 400
pilgrims might be stranded in Kedarnath. Starting the operation in the morning, the stranded passengers would be shifted to different safer places.
Some deaths have been reported from Madkot valley of Pithoragarh in Kumaon division. Police teams have been sent with satellite phones and rescue kits to the sites in order to carry out rescue operation at a pace.
Meanwhile, 12 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached Uttarakhand for extending help to pilgrims and locals, who are facing the brunt of natural calamities. A total of 12 private and defence helicopters were used by the administration in order to extend maximum assistance to pilgrims and locals. Around 500 pilgrims were air-lifted from the Kedarnath shrine.
After over 60 hours, weather god smiled at Kinnaur for a few hours in the morning and stranded Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his staff were airlifted from picturesque Sangla valley to Mandi.
As soon as the weather condition improved in Kinnaur on Tuesday morning, chopper stationed at Rampur of Shimla district rushed to Sangla valley and airlifted Chief Minister and his staff to Pandoh in Mandi district, where he again started campaigning for the by-election.
Some old tourists stranded in different parts of Kinnaur were also airlifted. However, due to blockades of roads connecting to Sangla valley and Kalpa, the two important tourist locations, more than 1,000 tourists are still stranded.
Meanwhile, a legislator from Madhya Pradesh along with his family has been trapped in the recent flash flood in Gangotri. legislator's father Bherulal Tetwal has died in the incident, while BJP MlA Gautam Tetwal along with other family members is waiting for rescue team.
The information regarding party legislator's presence in Uttarakhand reached Bhopal on Tuesday morning and taking this seriously, senior officials of Madhya Pradesh government have contacted Uttarakhand government officials and urged for immediate rescue of the BJP MlA.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday said that special assessment has been ordered to ascertain the damage caused to the crops due to recent rain in districts of Yamunanagar, Karnal and Panipat and a complete survey would also be conducted.
The Chief Minister made an aerial survey of the area and later addressed a press conference. He also observed the situation of water discharge at Hathni Kund Barrage.