The Army has evacuated the 500 people stranded in and around Gangotri and the 25 people remaining at Ghangariya near Hemkund will be evacuated at the earliest depending on the weather. Army troops skilled in mountain rescue operations have established contact with more than 1,000 persons stranded in mountain folds in Jungle Chatti between Gaurikund and Rambara near Kedarnath.
According to Government sources, till reports last came in, Army helicopters have evacuated 350 people so far and search operations were continuing. Food and medicines were dropped while two medical teams were established at Gaurikund to treat the injured.
A composite relief staging area has been opened at Gaurikund providing food, water and medicines to the people. Early on Sunday morning, Army teams worked to prepare a helipad at Jungle Chatti which facilitated evacuation from one of the most dangerous and inaccessible areas of Kedar valley. This helipad is now being improved to facilitate landing of Dhruv helicopters. Army also constructed two helipads at Gaurikund.
Army constructed a heli-bridge on Sunday at Govindghat in Badrinath valley to transport pilgrims across the Alaknanda River. Helicopters conducted shuttle service from either banks of the river as the temporary crossing made earlier had collapsed.
The Army also operationalised the foot track between Govindghat and lambagar on Badrinath road while another column conducting road clearing operations from Badrinath to lambagar launched a footbridge over Alaknanda on Sunday, opening the foot route from Badrinath to Govindghat. The road from Govindghat to Joshimath is open to vehicular traffic. In Tawaghat - Dharchula axis in Pithoragarh district, Army is in the process of establishing link with approximately 1,000 people in Sobala valley while medical teams and food were sent there on Sunday. So far, the Army has evacuated 18,500 people and deployed 10,000 soldiers for rescue and relief operations.
The IAF established an aviation fuel supply bridge at Dharasuas rescue operations were severely restricted due to non-availability of aviation fuel. Two C 130J aircraft landed at Dharasu and apart from providing 8,000 litres of fuel, also evacuated a total of 140 persons.
Having paved the way for fixed wing aircraft landing at Dharasu, the IAF pressed its An 32 aircraft also into action. These aircraft are carrying Disaster Communication equipment vehicle, some more aviation fuel, Sudan pumps for refueling the helicopters and 4,200 kgs of bridging equipment of BRO.