Rains lash U’khand, search on for SDM
2 Aug 2013 5:33 AM IST
Intermittent rains lashed Uttarakhand on Thursday even as efforts were on to trace SDM Ajay Arora, who was swept away by the swirling waters of Mandakini while supervising debris cleaning and relief operations in Kedar valley.
Almora sub-divisional magistrate Ajay Arora deputed to oversee relief operations in Kedar valley slipped off a makeshift bridge over Mandakini and fell into the river which was in spate following heavy rains in Rudraprayag district on Wednesday.
He was returning from Kedarnath to Garurchatti base camp when the mishap occurred. Official sources here said the river is still being combed to trace the official.
Moderate to heavy rains are continuing intermittently at all the places in Uttarakhand, State Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre here said.
Intermittent rains continued in Dehradun too with the state capital receiving 91.8 mm of showers in the last 24 hours.
With the MeT department predicting similar weather conditions over the next few days, administration in all the districts has been asked to remain vigilant, official sources said.
Meanwhile, the state government still has no clue to the whereabouts of SDM Ajay Arora a day after he fell into river Mandakini on his way back from Kedarnath.
National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and police personnel are combing the swollen river in search of the official, Rudraprayag's District Disaster Management Officer Meera Kaintura said.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has expressed grief over the mishap and asked the family members of the official to maintain fortitude.
He has also asked officials engaged in relief operations in Kedar ghati to go about their work carefully in the difficult terrain.
Garhwal Commissioner Subardhan, Rudraprayag District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar and DIG Amit Sinha undertook an aerial survey of the Mandakini river today by the low-flying technique in search of the Almora SDM.
The SDM has not yet been traced, Jawalkar said, adding two search teams have also been dispatched to Sonprayag and Gaurikund to search him while areas close to the river and Kedarnath are also being combed.
Weather was very bad in Rambada making flight of choppers to Kedarnath shrine impossible, he said.
Almora sub-divisional magistrate Ajay Arora deputed to oversee relief operations in Kedar valley slipped off a makeshift bridge over Mandakini and fell into the river which was in spate following heavy rains in Rudraprayag district on Wednesday.
He was returning from Kedarnath to Garurchatti base camp when the mishap occurred. Official sources here said the river is still being combed to trace the official.
Moderate to heavy rains are continuing intermittently at all the places in Uttarakhand, State Disaster Management and Mitigation Centre here said.
Intermittent rains continued in Dehradun too with the state capital receiving 91.8 mm of showers in the last 24 hours.
With the MeT department predicting similar weather conditions over the next few days, administration in all the districts has been asked to remain vigilant, official sources said.
Meanwhile, the state government still has no clue to the whereabouts of SDM Ajay Arora a day after he fell into river Mandakini on his way back from Kedarnath.
National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and police personnel are combing the swollen river in search of the official, Rudraprayag's District Disaster Management Officer Meera Kaintura said.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has expressed grief over the mishap and asked the family members of the official to maintain fortitude.
He has also asked officials engaged in relief operations in Kedar ghati to go about their work carefully in the difficult terrain.
Garhwal Commissioner Subardhan, Rudraprayag District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar and DIG Amit Sinha undertook an aerial survey of the Mandakini river today by the low-flying technique in search of the Almora SDM.
The SDM has not yet been traced, Jawalkar said, adding two search teams have also been dispatched to Sonprayag and Gaurikund to search him while areas close to the river and Kedarnath are also being combed.
Weather was very bad in Rambada making flight of choppers to Kedarnath shrine impossible, he said.
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