Uttarakhand: Woman dies in Rudraprayag; rescue operations ongoing amid heavy rainfall

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 29 (ANI): Uttarakhand is grappling with the devastating impact from continuous heavy rainfall, with a woman reported dead in Jakholi, Rudraprayag district, following severe cloudbursts affecting multiple locations.
Uttarakhand Disaster Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman detailed three critical locations of cloudbursts in Rudraprayag.
Kumar said that flooding and debris from both sides of a village have trapped residents, while rescue teams struggle to reach them due to strong water currents.
He said, ""Information has been received about three locations in Rudraprayag. At one location, debris and water have come from both sides of the village, trapping people. Teams are present at the spot but are unable to enter the villages because the water flow is very strong. There are also reports of some houses and cow sheds being damaged."

He added, "The second incident is coming from Jakholi in the same Rudraprayag district, where there is information about the death of a woman."
Several people remain missing, and ongoing search operations are being conducted to locate them.
"At the third incident site, there is also information about a bus being damaged... There are also reports of some people missing, whose search is underway." Kumar said.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan reached the control room on Friday to review the situation arising from heavy rainfall in various districts of the state the previous night and to assess the situation.
Earlier, due to heavy rains in Badeth Dungar Tok under the Tehsil Basukedaar area of Rudraprayag district, local families were affected due to heavy debris.
According to a release, as soon as information was received about some people being stranded in the affected area, Arpan Yaduvanshi, Commandant of the SDRF Uttarakhand, ordered teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand to be dispatched immediately from Sonprayag, Agastyamuni, and Ratuda to the spot with necessary rescue equipment.
SDRF teams are constantly working to reach the affected village, overcoming extreme obstacles and adverse conditions. Crossing the overflowing streams and obstacles on the way, the soldiers themselves are crossing safely and are also helping the local villagers to reach safe places.
The team is reaching the site of the incident and taking coordinated action to evacuate the affected families safely and to conduct necessary relief and rescue operations. SDRF is making efforts to take the affected people to safer places as soon as possible. (ANI)