With about a month to go, the government of Indian State of Uttarakhand may declare dead at least 5000-6000 people, who have gone missing after recent flashfloods.

New Delhi, July 15/Nationalturk – At least 5000-6000 people, who have gone missing after recent flashfloods in Indian State of Uttarakhand, may be declared dead by the government.

Official sources said the government of Indian state of Uttarakhand, where flashfloods caused by incessant rains and cloudburst have played havoc with the lives and property, may officially announce death of between 5000 and 6000 people, who are still missing.

They said most deaths and missing are from Kedarnath-Rambara-Gaurikund axis,, the site of one of Hindus holiest pilgrimages.  “The hamlet of Rambara was washed away completely by the sludge and debris that the swollen Mandakini River brought down from Kedarnath on June 16-17. The 14-kilometre-long stretch still remains strewn with decomposing bodies”.

“We know the numbers that were in Kedarnath when the flashfloods struck. Then we know normally how many people are in Rambara where the maximum deaths have taken place,” said Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary in charge of rescue and relief operations told Indian TV news channel NDTV.

‘Over 6000 people are still missing’

Officials said more than 6000  people have still not been traced after the Uttarakhand flash floods and cloudbursts. “Now the state government will declare them dead, so that their families can get compensation. The families of the missing will have to sign an undertaking that if they return in future, the amount will be given back to the government”.

“The residents of many Indian states including, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana, who had gone to Uttarakhand to perform Hindu pilgrimage are still missing.  The exact number of people missing is not clear yet,” they said.

Many families are still refusing to give up hope and are still camped in Uttarakhad to know any news about their missing relatives.

“We still have hope. The government has assured us that the search for the missing will continue even after the compensation. We won’t leave any stone unturned to search for missing people,” said relative of a missing person.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News

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