End of updates for 26 June. 9.30 pm: Uttarakhand faces threat of possible outbreak of diseases Uttarakhand now faces a new threat: possible outbreak of diseases as the waters from the flash floods recede. A few diarrhoea cases have already been reported from Haridwar (Alwalpur), Uttarkashi (Udvi) and Rudraprayag (Chandrapuri), an official of the health ministry said. Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Jagdish Prasad told IANS: “A total of seven teams, including four from the central health ministry and three from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMHANS), Bangalore, have reached Uttarakhand to assess the threat of epidemics and other health issues.” The teams from NIMHANS will provide psycho-social support to the victims. Apart from this, teams of health experts from the state government have also fanned out across Uttarakhand. 8. 30 pm: PM condoles death of IAF personnel in chopper crash 7:51 pm: Air India flies out 400 pilgrims, tourists Air India has flown out over 400 pilgrims and tourists from various places in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand. The national carrier has facilitated seats to more than 350 passengers for Chennai and 75 for Odisha, who were stranded at different locations in Uttarakhand, a statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry said. AI was providing a 50 percent discount on the basic fare to the passengers on the flights operating out of Dehradun and its officials were in contact with resident commissioners of Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh providing details of availability of seats. 5:40 pm: Shinde says Uttarakhand airspace now open to all VIPs, including Modi After facing flak for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visiting Uttarakhand while rescue operations were on, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that it was now all right for VIPs to visit relief operations. “I had advised VIPs not to travel Uttarakhand as situation then was different. At that time rescue and relief operations were going on in full swing. The advice was for only three-four days. But now situation has changed. Anyone can go there. Even Modi can go,” he told reporters. 5.18pm: 560 dead, 340 missing, says NDMA National Disaster Management Authority vice chairman M Shashidhar Reddy today said that the official death toll stands at 560 while 340 people are missing and nearly 4,000 people still stranded. Making clear that there is high possibility of the death toll climbing up, Reddy said, “There are 10 feet high debris in Kedarnath and we fear that several bodies are trapped.” However, the disaster management body said that the rescue unit has little role to play in the cremation of the dead as it is the responsibility of the local administration. “NDMA will only coordinate in the process,” he said. The NDMA second-in-command also offered his condolences to the families of the victims of Thursday’s IAF chopper crash in Gaurikund and paid his homage to the deceased. Admitting that retrieving the bodies of the dead is getting difficult he said, “Bodies of the deceased in the air crash will be brought out from the crash site in two-three days. It is a tough terrain.” 4.38pm: Kedarnath Temple According to CNN-IBN, Uttarkhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said that the state government will build the Kedarnath temple that was ravaged by the flood fury on 15 and 16 July. 4.25pm: Moderate rainfall reported in Phata, Gaurikund and Guptkashi hampering air operations. According to CNN-IBN, 5,000 people are still stranded in Badrinath. 3.20 pm Army launches website giving details of its rescue operations
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 19:11:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015