DEHRADUN: Rescuers on Wednesday retrieved one body from the rubble in flood-battered Dharali village as search operations resumed despite persistent rainfall.
The person whose body was retrieved was identified as that of 35-year-old Akash Panwar, the Uttarkashi Disaster Control Room said.
The calamity has left an estimated 200 villagers stranded and, tragically, over 70 individuals, including 9 Army personnel, are reported missing.
In response, Army aircraft and helicopters, including heavy-lift Chinooks, have begun extensive deployment from Dehradun Airport as authorities battle challenging weather conditions to reach the cut-off village.
Officials rescued 150 people from the flood-ravaged mountain village.
Sources from the District Disaster Management Office indicate that ITBP and Army personnel are battling daunting odds, attempting to carve a path through approximately 25 feet of high debris to reach villagers stranded in the heart of Dharali.
Efforts are also underway to construct a temporary bridge, as the village remains inaccessible by road.
Landslides blocked arterial roads leading up to Dharali, where dozens of people were trapped and many homes and cars were swept away by the raging waters on Tuesday.
Eleven Army personnel from the nearby camp in Harsil were among those missing.
The picturesque village, a major halt on the route to Gangotri, was devastated by flash floods triggered by a cloudburst on Tuesday afternoon.
According to officials, four deaths have so far been confirmed.
According to Mohsen Shahedi, NDRF deputy inspector general (DIG) operations, three teams of the federal contingency force are enroute to Dharali but have been unable to get there because continuous landslides have blocked the Rishikesh -Uttarkashi highway.
Dharali is about 140 km from Dehradun and usually a five-hour drive.
Teams of the Army, ITBP and state SDRF are undertaking rescue operations in the affected area and about 150 people have been rescued, he said.
"We have been told that four people have been killed and about 50 are missing," Shahedi said.
The Gangotri national highway is blocked at various points with a joint team of more than 200 rescue personnel waiting in Bhatwari for the route to open, added an official at the district emergency operation centre in Uttarkashi.
A bridge built over the Limaccha river at Gangnani on the Gangotri NH was swept away by the flash flood, leaving a team of rescue personnel stranded on way to Dharali.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take stock of the situation and assured him of full support from the Centre.
Dhami held a review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Dehradun and later conducted an aerial survey of Dharali and nearby Harsil.
“The rescue work is in full swing. Teams from the Army, ITBP, and SDRF are on the ground. About 70–80 people have been rescued so far. Debris has reached the Army base, and roads are blocked. It’s a challenging situation as it continues to rain,” the Chief Minister told PTI Videos.
Arrangements have been made for food and medicines, and 160 police personnel, including 10 senior officers and three SP-rank officers have been deployed to ensure the smooth distribution of rations. Three nodal officers from the Chief Minister’s Office have been assigned to coordinate relief efforts on the ground.
“Every life matters to us,” said Dhami.
Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli confirmed that one body had been recovered from the affected site.
Colonel Harshvardhan, Commanding Officer of 14 Rajputana Rifles, is leading the ground relief efforts with a team of 150 soldiers. “Despite the loss of its own personnel and damage to its base, the Army is carrying out rescue operations with courage and determination,” said Lt. Col. Shrivastava.
With heavy rain continuing to lash the region, officials said efforts were underway to clear blocked roads and restore communication lines to the affected areas.