Saturday, 05 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
About 20 people are feared dead after three shops were destroyed by landslide in the Gaurikund area on the bridle path to Kedarnath late on Thursday night. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) the landslide occurred at abou 11:30 PM on Thursday. About 20 people in the shops were carried along with the landslide debris into the Gauriganga river. The National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, police and other personnel began search and rescue operations at the site of the mishap. The SEOC had reported that three bodies had been recovered while about 17 persons were missing till the time of this report being filed. According to sources, the Kedarnath area was witnessing rain on Thursday night when the landslide occurred. On Friday morning, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster control room at the secretariat in Dehradun and sought information from officials about the Gaurikund disaster and status of other places in the State. Discussing the Gaurikund disaster, he directed officials to expedite the search and rescue operations. He also directed the administration to ensure that all possible assistance is provided in the Gaurikund area.He said that relief and rescue efforts are underway since the disaster and the family members of the decesased and missing are also being contacted. The authorities are prepared to deal with any type of situation, he averred. Checking the water level in the major rivers in the State, Dhami directed officials to issue an alert in all areas where the level of water in the rivers is rising. All the people living in such areas should be shifted to safe locations, he said. Further, those living in cemented and kuccha buildings in areas vulnerable to landslide should also be shifted to safe locations.
Meanwhile, with light to moderate rains being experienced in various parts of the State with some heavy spells in some locations, at least 174 roads were reported to be blocked in various parts of the State on Friday. The authorities are working to reopen these roads to traffic.
