'9099 people rescued till now from along Kedarnath Yatra route': Uttarakhand disaster management secretary

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 3 (ANI): Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said on Saturday that a total of 9,099 people stranded in different areas along the Kedarnath Yatra route have been rescued till now.
According to the Secretary, the rescue operation of the passengers stranded in the Kedarnath and Kedarnath route due to heavy rains on 31st July is going on a war footing.
A total of 7234 passengers have been rescued till August 2. At the same time, on August 3, 1865 passengers were rescued and taken to safe places. A total of 9099 passengers have been rescued till August 3.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is personally monitoring the rescue operation. Work is being done on a large scale to evacuate the passengers safely.
Vinod Kumar Suman informed that on August 3, 43 passengers were airlifted from Kedarnath. A total of 495 passengers were airlifted from Linchauli and Bhimbali. At the same time, 90 passengers reached Chaumasi-Kalimath safely on foot from Bhimbali-Linchauli. The number of passengers coming to Sonprayag from Gaurikund was 1162. 75 pilgrims were airlifted from Chidbasa (Gaurikund) and taken to safe places. At the same time, the process of safe evacuation of about 1000 passengers stranded at various places is underway.
He further mentioned that 15 people have died due to heavy rains on 31 July.
The Secretary of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman said that NDRF, SDRF as well as Air Force's Chinook and MI-17 helicopters are deployed in relief and rescue work.
He said that 83 NDRF personnel, 168 personnel of SDRF, DDRF and PRD, 126 of Police Department, and 35 Fire Personnel are deployed at different places.
"35 Disaster Mitras as well as 150 laborers working through the Public Works Department have been deployed to open the blocked roads. 32 employees are providing their services under the leadership of 12 doctors of the Health Department. 57 employees of the Revenue Department, 68 of GMVN, and 27 employees of the Food Department are engaged in making the related arrangements right. Thus, a total of 882 jawans/personnel are engaged in relief and rescue operations on a war footing," he said.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the safety of the passengers is the top priority of the government.
"The teams of the district administration have made adequate arrangements for the stay and food of the passengers who are still stranded. Their needs are being taken care of. The entire rescue operation is being continuously monitored from the State Emergency Operations Center. A massive operation is being carried out to evacuate the passengers safely. Due to the weather, some difficulties are being faced in the rescue operation, as the weather is getting clearer, passengers are being rescued," CM Dhami said. (ANI)