Rains batter Uttarakhand as casualties raise to 42

Uttarakhand reported at least 42 rain-related deaths on Tuesday with many people still trapped under the rubble after landslides, reports PTI. According to the report, of the 42 fresh deaths, 28 people were killed in the Nainital district, six each in Almora and Champawat and one each in Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar districts.

In view of the incessant rains, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated his appeal to Chardham yatris to stay where they are and not to resume their journeys before the weather improved.

"The number of casualties in Kumaon region alone has crossed 40," PTI quoted DIG Nilesh Anand Bharne as saying.

The Chief Minister undertook an aerial survey of the rain-hit areas and later interacted with the affected people on ground zero to make an assessment of the damages caused.

He announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed in rain-related incidents across the state over the last two days.

The hill state had reported five deaths on Monday.

Director-General of Uttarakhand Police Ashok Kumar, who accompanied Chief Minister Dhami on a visit to the rain-hit areas of the Kumaon region, said roads, bridges and railway tracks have been damaged in Kathgodam and Lalkuan in Nainital and Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar.

It will take at least four-five days to repair the damaged tracks, Kumar told PTI.

Three Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters have arrived in the state and are assisting in relief and rescue operations. Two of them have been deployed in Nainital district, which has suffered extensive damage due to cloudbursts and landslides, Dhami said.

Nainital was cut off from the rest of the state with three roads leading to the popular tourist spot blocked due to a series of landslides. Dozens of tourists were stranded in some parts of the state.

According to a rough estimate, around 100 pilgrims from different parts of Gujarat who had gone to Uttarakhand for the Chardham Yatra were stranded following heavy rains and landslides, Gujarat Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi said.

The National Disaster Response Force has rescued over 300 people from flood-affected areas of Uttarakhand, the federal force said on Tuesday.

The NDRF has deployed 15 teams in the state.