25-30 People Rescued After Storm Wrecks Floating Huts in Uttarakhand's Tehri Garhwal

Tehri Garhwal: Around 25 to 30 people were rescued after floating hutments were damaged by a severe storm near Dobra-Chanti in Tehri Garhwal, officials said. 

According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand, the Disaster Control Room in Tehri Garhwal received information at around 7:45 pm on Saturday that several floating hutments in the lake near Dobra-Chanti area had been severely affected due to strong winds, raising fears that people were trapped. 

Following the alert, an SDRF team from the Koti Colony post, led by Sub-Inspector Narendra Rana, immediately rushed to the site with necessary rescue equipment.  

On reaching the location, the team found that the floating hutments had been severely damaged and swept away due to strong winds and the storm. Acting swiftly, the SDRF team carried out a rescue operation and safely evacuated around 25 to 30 individuals from the floating hutments. The rescued persons were then transported safely to Koti Colony using boats arranged by the Tourism Department. 

Earlier on Saturday, the State Emergency Operations Centre also issued guidelines to all districts based on the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast. The IMD has issued an Orange Alert for May 4 and 5 for Dehradun, Tehri, Haridwar, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar, where thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and gusty winds of 40-50 km/h are expected. 

A separate Orange Alert for May 5 covers Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, and Pithoragarh, while a Yellow Alert remains in place for other districts through May 6. 

Secretary of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Vinod Kumar Suman, stated that all districts have been instructed to remain on high alert. 

Authorities have been directed to regulate trekking, increase monitoring in vulnerable zones, and keep rescue teams on standby. Agencies, including the National Highways, PWD, PMGSY, and BRO, have been ordered to ensure immediate road restoration in case of blockages. 

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