IAF's Chinook, MI17 helicopters join rescue operations in Uttarakhand, 5,000 evacuated

RUDRAPRAYAG: The IAF's Chinook and MI17 helicopters on Friday joined the rescue operations in Uttarakhand to evacuate pilgrims still stranded on the rain-ravaged trek route to Kedarnath.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said since the start of rescue operations on Thursday morning altogether 5,000 people have so far been evacuated to safety.

They have either been airlifted or rescued manually by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, he said.

"Heavy rain has caused extensive damage. But the entire government machinery, the NDRF, SDRF, district administration and the state's disaster management department are engaged in rescue work. On my request to the PMO, the IAF's Chinook and MI 17 helicopters have also joined the rescue operations," Dhami told PTI Videos.

"If the weather remains good, all stranded pilgrims will be evacuated and taken to safe locations by this evening," he added

Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Dhami over phone to enquire about the relief and rescue operations and assured him of all possible help to deal with the situation.

The trek route to Kedarnath suffered extensive damage as a result of a cloudburst in Junglechatti near Lincholi on Wednesday night.

Two helpline numbers -- 7579257572 and 01364-233387 -- and one emergency number 112 have also been issued by the district administration to help people get information about their stranded kin among the pilgrims, they said.

The pilgrims had got stranded beyond Bhimbali along Gaurikund-Kedarnath trek route when a 20-25 metre stretch of the road was washed out by the violent currents of the Mandakini on Wednesday night.

The trek route to the Himalayan temple is blocked by boulders at Ghoraparav, Lincholi, Badi Lincholi and Bhimbali.

However, the stranded pilgrims are safe, officials said. About 5,000 food packets have been distributed among them.

The yatra to Kedarnath has been put on hold for the time being, with an advisory of the district administration asking pilgrims to wait wherever they are till the route is cleared of debris and restored.

Aerial and surface rescue operations by NDRF and SDRF personnel on Thursday had led to the safe evacuation of more than 3,000 pilgrims.

Chinook and MI17 helicopters were sent in to speed up the ongoing rescue operations after the PMO took an update on the situation in the state on Thursday.