Uttarkashi floods: Rescue operations continue; Bailey bridge nears completion

Rescue operations continued on Sunday (August 10) in the disaster-hit areas of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, and the construction of a vital Bailey bridge along the Gangotri National Highway was in its final stages.

Also read: Evacuation continues in Uttarkashi; more than 1,000 airlifted

The construction of the Bailey bridge over Limchagad between Gangnani and Dharali is aimed at restoring connectivity in Uttarkashi and transporting food supplies to affected people. Officials are expecting it to be ready later in the afternoon.

What is Bailey bridge?

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the Limchagad bridge was washed away after the flash floods due to a cloudburst, and work is being carried out on a war footing to construct the Bailey bridge.

Also read: Uttarkashi floods ground report: 11 injured jawans admitted to hospital

“During the disaster in Dharali (Uttarkashi), the extremely crucial Limchagad bridge, from a connectivity perspective, was washed away, completely disrupting transportation. Subsequently, work was being carried out on a war footing to construct a Bailey bridge here,” Dhami wrote in Hindi on his X (formerly Twitter) account with the picture of the construction work.

“As a result of the tireless efforts of our police teams, SDRF, engineers, and other rescue teams, the construction of this bridge is now in its final stage and will be opened for transportation in just a few hours. This bridge will bring significant relief to the disaster-affected people,” he added.

A Bailey bridge is a kind of modular bridge that can be quickly assembled with pre-built parts.

Supply of relief materials

Authorities have stepped up efforts to supply relief materials to those stranded by the devastating mudslide in Kheer Ganga on Tuesday that tore through homes and hotels and left a trail of destruction.

Also read: Uttarkashi cloudburst: Are policy failures fuelling Himalayan disasters? | Anoop Nautiyal interview

The district administration has confirmed four deaths in the tragedy, the recovery of two bodies and 49 people are missing since the disaster.

The sixth day of rescue operations to evacuate the stranded and find the missing was delayed till 10 am on Sunday due to bad weather.

Horses, mules used

Home Secretary Shailesh Bagauli directed authorities to supply 2,000 litres of diesel per day to Dharali and ensure that LPG cylinders are given to the affected.

Horses and mules are also being used to transport essential supplies until roads are repaired and become operational, he said.

Chief Minister Dhami flagged off nearly half a dozen vehicles carrying disaster relief material from his camp office in Dehradun for the affected people in Dharali.

Dispatched by Kotak Mahindra Bank, under a CSR initiative, for relief and rehabilitation in Dharali, the raw rations, including flour, rice, pulses, spices, edible oil and essential items of daily use like toothpaste, bathing and washing soaps, are sufficient for 10 to 12 days.

Blockages along the highway at Songad, Dabrani, Harsil and Dharali due to erosion by the river Bhagirathi or landslide debris are also being cleared on a war footing, officials said.

However, bad weather on Sunday morning delayed the evacuation of stranded people by helicopters, which could start off only by 10 am. More than 1,000 people had been evacuated by Saturday.

Helicopters make more than 260 sorties

Medical teams, including specialist doctors, are stationed in the disaster-affected area to continuously provide their services.

A large amount of food and relief material is being sent to Harsil helipad from Matli helipad for the affected people in helicopters.

The helicopters have made more than 260 sorties since the start of rescue operations on August 7. Eight helicopters are being operated from Matli helipad. Apart from them, Chinook, Mi-17, ALH-1 and Cheetah helicopters of the Army are also providing support in the airlifting operation from the Chinyalisaur airstrip.

The search for the missing in the flood-ravaged Dharali also continued, with the help of SDRF sniffer dogs and state-of-the-art equipment such as victim locating and thermal imaging cameras.

Army’s rescue mission

The SDRF is also preparing to deploy its divers with rafts to aid the ongoing search operations, officials said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the Indian Army said that under its Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in Dharali and Harsil, a total of 33 helicopter sorties — including Army and civil aviation — evacuated 195 civilians from affected areas on Saturday.

Nearly 200 tourists were assisted in crossing the mudslide zones and reaching the Harsil helipad for onward evacuation. Food and accommodation have been provided to over 110 stranded tourists, the Army said.

(With agency inputs)