Rescue efforts began on the second day, on Thursday, in the disaster-affected village of Kuntri and Dhurma in Uttarakhand, where some individuals are trapped under rubble following landslides caused by heavy rains earlier this week. Things have been turning out to be better, and those who are yet to be helped have been given hope.
The search and rescue operations started early in the morning again in teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local administration, which had been hampered by poor visibility and heavy rains the day before. Clear skies have seen the deployment of helicopters and heavy equipment to the affected areas to hasten the process of clearing the area and removing those who are still alive.
According to the authorities, some families were feared to be trapped, and many others were evacuated to places of safety. There has been the setting up of temporary relief camps in the surrounding areas, which provide food, shelter, and medical treatment to displaced villagers. Healthcare professionals are ready to provide first aid to the victims because injuries and trauma are also issues when it comes to such disasters.
The residents and volunteers have been integrated as well into the rescue operations, and they have been used to help authorities in the delivery of supplies and the clearance of pathways. It was very severe yesterday since the area was hit by constant downpours, but as the weather cleared, the SDRF officials are hopeful that more survivors will be reached.
The state government has promised that everything is being put on its toes to put the situation into check. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has kept a close eye on the developments and has instructed the authorities to lay emphasis on evacuation, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected villages.
Experts again have cited the weak soil of Uttarakhand, which is subject to natural calamities like landslides, cloud bursting and flash floods. They emphasize that alterations in rain patterns, unregulated development of areas with a high ecological value, make the danger of such disasters more real.
Families of the trapped people are nervously waiting for the rescue teams to keep their tireless work, as the teams are engaged in rescuing those trapped. To date, the rising weather has created a ray of hope, and authorities are bent on continuing until all the missing people are found.
The Kuntri and Dhurma tragedy has once again brought out the helplessness of the Himalayan villages and how there is a pressing necessity of enhancing disaster preparedness in Uttarakhand.
