Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7(ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday visited the Matli Helipad in Uttarkashi district, where he met individuals airlifted from the flood-affected Dharali village.

The evacuees were rescued as part of a coordinated multi-agency operation involving the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities.

The Chief Minister interacted with those brought to safety and assured them of all possible assistance from the state government. He also spoke with personnel from the administration, NDRF, and SDRF teams preparing for further rescue missions in the region.

The Uttarakhand government informed ANI that the evacuation efforts began early Thursday morning. By 9:30 am, a total of 44 people had been rescued from Dharali and Harsil and transported to Matli by ITBP helicopters. The rescued individuals are being moved to safer locations where they will receive medical attention and shelter.

Among those rescued was an injured person, who was airlifted to Matli for immediate medical assistance.

In Rudraprayag district, incessant rainfall forced the suspension of the Kedarnath Yatra throughout Tuesday. According to Rudraprayag Police, pilgrims returning from the Kedarnath Dham were safely assisted by police and SDRF teams. Authorities cleared the obstructed route between Gaurikund and Sonprayag, allowing pilgrims to be safely escorted to secure locations.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan is closely monitoring the situation and ongoing rescue operations from the State Emergency Operations Centre.

The state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple agencies.

Earlier in the day, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DIG Gambhir Singh Chauhan said that helicopter services have been deployed to evacuate those trapped. Multiple agencies, including the Indian Army, NDRF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local administration, are coordinating efforts both on the ground and in the air.

'We have four teams, but since all the roads have been blocked and damaged, they couldn't reach Dharali. Yesterday, 35 personnel were able to reach via helicopters. With the helicopter services beginning, the to-and-fro movement of personnel and evacuees has begun. There was a communication issue as well, but since this morning, our satellite phones have been working. State administration, army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and even local people are helping each other in the search and rescue operations,' Chauhan said.

Drone visuals from Bhatwari, en route to Dharali, captured extensive road damage caused by the cloudburst and mudslide, which severely hampered early rescue efforts.

Survivors, many of whom were pilgrims headed to Gangotri, recounted their experiences and expressed gratitude for the timely rescue efforts.

Arohi Mehra, a tourist from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, said, 'I was very scared when all of this happened. The villagers helped us a lot. We got a lot of strength when we saw our jawans of the Indian Army.'

Another tourist, Rupesh Mehra, also from Jalgaon, highlighted the logistical hurdles faced by the rescue teams. 'Roads have been blocked there. We were rescued with helicopters. We got a lot of help from all the agencies deployed there, and we were taken out from there,' he said.

Anamika Mehra, part of the same group, recalled the moments following the disaster. 'When the incident took place, we were near Dharali. We were on our way to Gangotri for darshan... The next day, the entire country was there to support us. All the teams reached there to rescue us. I want to thank the Indian Army and the Uttarakhand Police. I want to salute the Uttarakhand Govt for providing us with heli service immediately and rescuing us,' Mehra told ANI.

On Wednesday, around 190 people were rescued from Dharali following a devastating cloudburst that triggered massive flash floods and landslides in the area, with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the missing.

The rescue and relief operations in the affected areas are in full swing. (ANI)