In a major catastrophe, around fourteen people have been killed in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand and a search and rescue mission is on for 170 people. Apart from ITBP, national and state disaster force teams, six columns of the Indian Army and seven diving teams of the Indian Navy have also been deployed. On the other hand, twelve people trapped in an under-construction tunnel have been rescued by the ITBP. The Alakananda river basin washed away hydroelectric stations and five bridges in the disaster.
“Our team reached at 3 am. They’ve started the rescue operations. We hope for the best and are doing our best. We’re using the latest and the best of the equipment. The terrain is so rugged and the temp reached up to subzero (conditions). In such conditions, it is difficult to conduct rescue operations. But our team is doing its best,” Praveen Kumar Tiwary, a commandant of the NDRF said.
PM Modi too expressed shock and said that India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Uttarakhand and that the nation prays for everyone’s safety. The PM also spoke with the Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and that he’s continuously monitoring the situation in the state. Even, UK PM Boris Johnson expressed solidarity with India in the aftermath of the glacier burst, adding that they are ready to offer any kind of support.
