New Delhi, Aug 5
As sudden cloudburst triggered massive mudslides and landslides in Harshil, Uttarakhand on Tuesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is on high alert and ready to join the ongoing rescue operations being carried out by the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The helicopters will proceed to the Harshil sector once the weather permits and join the multi-agency relief effort. “Once deployed, they will assist in casualty evacuation, delivery of relief materials, and support to ground rescue teams,” the official added. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has already deployed 150 personnel who reached the mudslide-hit area near Dharali village within minutes of the disaster.
The NDRF and ITBP teams are also on the ground, conducting search-and-rescue operations amid extremely challenging terrain and continuous rainfall. The situation in Harshil remains tense as multiple families have been reported stranded or missing due to the flash floods and debris flow.
Continuous rainfall remains the biggest hurdle in the response effort.