Bad weather stops rescue works in Uttarakhand
Dehradun: Weather conditions once again interrupted the crucial rescue operations in flood-hit Uttarakhand as intermittent rains in Kedarnath and Guptkashi hampered the process of clearing of debris and pulling out of bodies lying underneath.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who is scheduled to undertake a tour of Uttarkashi, could not take off and is still in Dehradun waiting for the weather to clear. The rescue operations are coming close to a wind up and the focus is now on around 1,400 pilgrims reported to be stranded in Badrinath.
Mass cremation of bodies in Kedarnath, the worst-affected in the flood fury, is also on, as authorities are racing against time to minimise risks of epidemic outbreak.
Authorities faced anxious moments when a Pawan Hans helicopter, engaged in rescue operations made an emergency landing at Harsil, two days after an IAF Mi17 rescue chopper crashed killing all its 20 occupants. No casualties were reported in the incident.
The aircraft landed heavily at Harsil helipad and was damaged in the process,” Wing Commander (Rtd) RS Brar said.
However, everyone on board the aircraft is safe, he added.
