UTTARAKHAND FLOODS: Almost 6,000 missing to be presumed dead
State will begin compensating victims’ families from today, says CM.
Nearly 6,000 pilgrims, tourists and others are believed to have died when flash floods and landslides struck Uttarakhnad last month, officials said on Monday.
"Compensation to their families will begin tomorrow (Tuesday) on the assumption that they (themissing ) are dead," the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand , Vijay Bahuguna , said in the state capital Dehradun.
The victims were swept away when floods caused by torrential monsoon rains hit the state in June, destroying entire villages and towns. Raging rivers flattened houses and buildings, which was packed during the pilgrimage season.
Bahuguna put the estimated death toll at 5,748. At the time of the floods, some 1,000 people were confirmed dead. Thousands more had until Monday been officially listed only as missing, meaning compensation could not be paid.
The chief minister said his state government would compensate local residents while other governments would financially care for their residents, many of whom were pilgrims visiting remote Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand. Some 924 of the dead were from Uttarakhand and "their families will receive compensation from state funds", he told reporters.
The military, backed by a fleet of helicopters, rescued more than 100,000 pilgrims and tourists from marooned villages and resort towns after the disaster. Unmanned drones were deployed to scan thick jungles to find those stranded.
Resurrecting U’khand
The chief minister also said his next priority was to rebuild the scenic state in the Himalayan foothills, where scores of bridges have crashed.
"The top priority is to provide drinking water, the restoration of power supply and repair of roads. Bridges that can be repaired will be restored or new ones will be build to replace them," he said.
The chief minister also said residents of 240 devastated villages would be given financial help to rebuild their lives. "The state government will construct earthquake-resistant houses in model villages which we will set up," Bahuguna said.
Disaster relief officials said they have supplied 20,000 solar-powered lamps to hamlets where landslides cut off electricity. Agencies
Nearly 6,000 pilgrims, tourists and others are believed to have died when flash floods and landslides struck Uttarakhnad last month, officials said on Monday.
"Compensation to their families will begin tomorrow (Tuesday) on the assumption that they (the
He said Rs 5,00,000 would be given to each family. The Uttarakhand government will also set up a fund, with Rs 5,00,000 to be given to each child orphaned by the disaster, he said.
The victims were swept away when floods caused by torrential monsoon rains hit the state in June, destroying entire villages and towns. Raging rivers flattened houses and buildings, which was packed during the pilgrimage season.
Bahuguna put the estimated death toll at 5,748. At the time of the floods, some 1,000 people were confirmed dead. Thousands more had until Monday been officially listed only as missing, meaning compensation could not be paid.
The chief minister said his state government would compensate local residents while other governments would financially care for their residents, many of whom were pilgrims visiting remote Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand. Some 924 of the dead were from Uttarakhand and "their families will receive compensation from state funds", he told reporters.
The military, backed by a fleet of helicopters, rescued more than 100,000 pilgrims and tourists from marooned villages and resort towns after the disaster. Unmanned drones were deployed to scan thick jungles to find those stranded.
Resurrecting U’khand
The chief minister also said his next priority was to rebuild the scenic state in the Himalayan foothills, where scores of bridges have crashed.
"The top priority is to provide drinking water, the restoration of power supply and repair of roads. Bridges that can be repaired will be restored or new ones will be build to replace them," he said.
The chief minister also said residents of 240 devastated villages would be given financial help to rebuild their lives. "The state government will construct earthquake-resistant houses in model villages which we will set up," Bahuguna said.
Disaster relief officials said they have supplied 20,000 solar-powered lamps to hamlets where landslides cut off electricity. Agencies
