Indian rescue teams deployed helicopters on Thursday to evacuate people stranded by floods in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, nearly 48 hours after sudden flooding and landslides left four dead and many still unaccounted for.
Access to the village of Dharali in Uttarkashi district, a popular tourist area, was cut off due to collapsed roads and massive boulders, after a surge of floodwater swept through, engulfing homes and vehicles in thick sludge.
State chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said helicopter crews had been briefed to carry out the rescue operation efficiently.
“The heli-rescue operation began this morning in the affected areas,” he said on X.
Footage from the region showed army personnel removing boulders by hand and with machinery, working through roads turned into torrents of mud and water.
According to army and state officials, around 200 people were rescued on Tuesday and Wednesday, though many are still believed to be trapped or missing.
Dharali, a small village of roughly 200 residents located more than 1,150 metres above sea level, serves as a rest stop for Hindu pilgrims on their way to the sacred town of Gangotri.
“We saw Dharali being swept away before our eyes,” said Anamika Mehra, a pilgrim en route to Gangotri when the disaster struck.
“We were terrified, but the locals helped us, and the army arrived the next day to rescue us,” she told ANI news agency.
Uttarakhand frequently experiences floods and landslides, phenomena that experts say are increasingly linked to climate change.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last m...
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" swee...
Russia’s fuel shortages are spreading into Central Asia, exposing the region’s heavy reliance on Russian petrol and diesel as governments race to ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
AnewZ's Daybreak on 10 July covered mounting tensions in the Middle East, political developments in the UK, and major stories from the South Caucasus and Central Asia, alongside key international news.
Ukraine is facing one of the most difficult moments of the war, as a convergence of corruption scandals, political turbulence, financial uncertainty and intensifying Russian offensives places unprecedented strain on the country’s ability to defend itself.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
China's technology sector is producing billion-dollar startups at its fastest pace in nearly five years, with artificial intelligence and robotics driving a new wave of investment that is reshaping the country's innovation economy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged China and North Korea to strengthen cooperation and maintain "strategic resolve" amid what he described as growing global instability. He made the remarks during talks with North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song in Beijing on Friday.
British police have arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe, a former government minister whose death was announced on Friday.
Andy Burnham is on the brink of becoming Labour leader and prime minister after securing the overwhelming backing of Labour MPs in the first round of leadership nominations.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment