Nature's fury: Army evacuates hundreds of stranded pilgrims

Allahabad, June 18: Army personnel on Monday morning evacuated hundreds of pilgrims left stranded between Govindghat and Joshimath in Uttarakhand. The rescue operations were hit by a major landslide in the area but the Army supplied dry food, medical aid and shelter to the stuck pilgrims.

Over 25,000 pilgrims were reportedly stranded in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Sources in defence, Allahabad and Lucknow, said the Army has been providing aid to thousands of endangered pilgrims over the past 36 hours after incessant rainfall and flash floods caused major damage in various regions of the state. The Army has also set up assistance centres at Harsil, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Govindghat, Joshimath, Darchula and Hanuman Chetty to provide information and essential services to the pilgrims left stranded in the region.

Reconnaisance parties were deployed to inaccessible areas to gather preliminary information. Five columns have been located to provide assistance on ground while ten columns have been kept ready to move to flood-hit areas at a short notice. The Army reportedly moved these columns without waiting for any request from the civil authorities.

Eight quick reaction medical teams have set up medical aid units at Rudraprayag, Govindghat, Joshimath and Darchula to provide immediate medical assistance.

Sixty people were killed while over 30,000 were left stranded in incessant rain and flood situations in north India over the past three days.

OneIndia News