15 persons still missing, believed to be buried under landslide debris

Family members of the 15 ‘missing’ victims of the Ukimath cloudburst are still hopeful that their dear ones may return home someday. The Rudraprayag district administration, has however, apparently given up hope to find any of these persons alive and has also begun the process of distributing compensation money to the genuine claimants.

Of the total of 69 persons, who were missing as per the records of the Rudraprayag District Administration, the rescue workers have so far recovered 54 bodies. A total of 15 persons are still missing and are believed to have been buried under tons of mud and debris of the landslide that hit the area following a cloudburst earlier this month.

According to the Executive Director of the State Disaster Management and Mitigation Department (DMMD), Piyush Rautela, a magisterial probe has already been ordered and the family members of all the 15 missing persons have been asked to get their statements recorded before the officials.

“The claimants of the compensation money have also been asked to fill an indemnity bond, stating that they will return the compensation money, in case their missing family members are found alive,” Rautela added.

Even as the indemnity bond may make the family members of the missing people, hopeful that they may see their loved ones alive someday, the rescue operators say that the possibility of finding anyone of these victims alive is almost negligible. “We have, however, still not called off the rescue operations and searches for the victims are still on. The final death toll in the tragedy is expected to surpass the present figure of 54,” Rudraprayag District Magistrate, Dr Neeraj Kherwal, said.

Meanwhile as life limps back to normal with people coming to terms with their grave losses in Ukhimath, a team of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has started surveying the area to study the reasons for the unprecedented mudslides that caused more damage in the cloudburst-hit villages in the district.

Ukhimath area in the Rudraprayag district was the worst hit in the calamity that had flattened dozens of homes in eight villages in the area killing at least 54 people in their sleep. A total of 15 persons are still missing and 14 are presently under medical care. It may be noted that the Government had announced `3 lakh compensation for relatives of those killed and `1.5 lakh to those critically injured.

According to records, nearly 450 residents were rendered homeless after the calamity.

Monday 24 September 2012

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