Monday, August 13, 2012

Two more washed away in Uttarakhand

Dehra Dun, Aug 13 (PTI) Two more people were washed away in flash floods in Almora district of Uttarakhand following heavy rains taking the toll in various rain-related incidents in the hill state to 55 this monsoon. Two persons were washed away from Mohan area of Almora district when the car in which they were travelling got caught in flash floods while crossing the Bakrakot nallah last night. Two others were also injured in the incident and they have been admitted to a hospital in Ramnagar area, official sources said. The deceased have been identified as Neeraj Pant (33) and Abhay Tiwari, both residents of Haldwani area of Nainital district. With these two deaths, the number of those killed in various rains-related incidents in the hill state have gone up to 55 this monsoon, sources in the Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre (DMMC) said. Meanwhile, relief operations are continuing on a war-footing in the floods-affected Uttarkashi district from where a total of 160 stranded people have been airlifted from different parts with the help of MI-157 helicopters, the sources said. The people were stranded after Uttarkashi-Gangotri national highway was cut off due to heavy floods on August 4 that also killed nearly 28 people and rendered hundreds of others homeless. Nearly 545 persons are living in nine relief camps besides several others have taken shelter in their relatives' homes, the sources said. A satellite phone has also been set up at Gajoli area for better coordination of relief work, officials said. He said the relief material and food packets are also being dropped in the affected areas of the district. The district administration is providing relief material like food, kerosene and LPG gas to the affected people. The national highways leading to the shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri are blocked due to landslides or flash floods and the Uttarkashi district administration is trying hard to establish the snapped road links by repairing roads and building temporary bridges.

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