Steel-willed SDRF stands tall amid calamity in northern India, saves over 500 lives
by Aditi VermaIn the face of relentless downpours and extensive flooding, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has emerged as a savior for more than 500 lives in northern India’s Uttarakhand.
The incident took place in Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar district on July 8.
Visuals showed after heavy and persistent rainfall in a village, a flood-like situation unfolded, prompting a rescue team to navigate through the inundated area. Using rafts, they skillfully evacuated stranded individuals, carefully guiding them to safety amid the challenging conditions. The scene was marked by swift currents and submerged homes, with the rescue team’s efforts providing a lifeline amidst the natural disaster.
Speaking to Newslions, SDRF Media Co-ordinator Lalita Negi stated that severe rainfall in the Kumaon region led to substantial flooding, submerging several areas in Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar. Many houses were inundated, trapping hundreds of residents on their rooftops. Upon receiving reports of the dire situation, SDRF Commander Manikant Mishra promptly deployed teams with necessary equipment to the affected sites. Additionally, a backup team from Dhalwala was dispatched to Udham Singh Nagar at 4:00 AM.
Late at night, SDRF teams began their rescue mission in Jagpura, where severe flooding had trapped numerous individuals. Despite challenging conditions, the teams successfully evacuated 30 women, men, and children to a temporary shelter in Banbasa. Following this, they split into two groups to continue operations in Ward No. 9 of Tanakpur and Devpura Banbasa, rescuing a total of 122 individuals, including children, elderly, and women, using rafts to reach safer locations. The brave SDRF team members, including SI Manish Bhakuni, Head Constable Pravesh Nagarkoti, Prakash Tiwari, Constables Pradeep Mehta, Naveen Pokhariya, Krishna Singh, Narendra Singh, Suresh Mehra, Home Guards Rahul, Lalit Kumar, Manoj Gahtori, and Lalit Bora, received immense gratitude from the residents.
In the early hours, as the rescue operations continued, SDRF teams evacuated 12 members of three families from Tanakpur’s Ward No. 9. In the morning, the rescued individuals expressed their heartfelt thanks to the SDRF for ensuring their safety.
In Udham Singh Nagar, SDRF’s coordinated efforts in Sitarganj, Chhatarpur, and Khatima led to the rescue of over 250 individuals trapped in floodwaters. Despite the heavy rainfall and strong currents, the SDRF teams used rafts to safely evacuate the stranded residents. Another backup team from Rishikesh managed operations in Arvind Nagar, Sitarganj, rescuing 59 individuals and relocating them to a primary school in Jhaadi, Sitarganj, where they were provided with shelter and food. So far, 107 individuals have been safely evacuated in Sitarganj.
The relentless efforts of the SDRF teams, including SI Narendra Singh Rana, SI Surendra Singh, Constables Ajit Singh, Rajendra Nath, Prakash Singh, Bhupendra Kanyal, Home Guards Jitendra, and Dixit Kumar in Khatima, along with Chief Constable Suresh Bahuguna, Constables Prakash Mehta, Ravindra Singh, Pradeep Rawat, Shivam Singh, Fireman Sandeep Singh, and Driver Rahul Kumar in Sitarganj, have been commendable. The rescue team from Nainital, comprising SI Manoj Rawat, Additional SI Lal Singh, Chief Constable Mahendra Singh, Constables Chandan Singh, Aman Kumar, Rohit Parihar, and Fireman Nitesh Khetwal, is also actively involved in the operations.
Amidst the ongoing downpour, the SDRF teams continue their efforts on a war footing, with rescue operations still underway in Majhola and Nanakmatta, Khatima. So far, over 500 individuals have been rescued and safely relocated to secure areas by the dedicated SDRF teams.
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