Army sets up medical aid posts in flood-hit areas

In an effort to aid stranded people in flood-hit Uttarakhand, Army has set up medical aid posts at three affected areas of the state to provide life saving assistance. Eight quick reaction medical teams have established medical aid posts at Rudraprayag, Joshimath, Govindghat and Dharchula to provide immediate life saving medical assistance.

Besides, stranded pilgrims are being given expert and specialist medical advice on telephone via virtual network through Medical Emergency Helpline, a Defence Ministry statement said in New Delhi. Army assistance centres have been established at Harsil, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Joshimath, Govindghat, Hanuman Chetti and Dharchula in the last 24 hours to provide information, medical aid, food and water to stranded pilgrims.

So far, hundreds of pilgrims have been evacuated by the Army on foot from Govind Ghat to Joshimath. Army has also launched a dozen reconnaissance parties to inaccessible areas to obtain first hand information. While five columns are already in location to provide assistance on ground, 10 more columns have been kept stand by to move at short notice to flood affected areas.

The statement said the columns, comprising 50 personnel each, were mobilised without waiting for any request from local administration.