With the recovery of more bodies, the toll in the cloudburst in Leh today went upto 130 even as 600 more are feared washed away in the calamity. Leh Administration has set up a 24 hour Helpline to provide any information about the incident. The telephone numbers are 09906990787 and 09906990835.Meanwhile, the Armed Forces have stepped up their rescue and relief operations in Leh and adjoining areas, affected by cloud burst and mudslides. Five Air Force plane with relief materials and rescue team reached Leh today. The tri-service Disaster Management Co-ordination Group met in New Delhi this morning and reviewed the progress in rescue and relief operations. The Group decided to earmark special service aircrafts to carry 19 VSATs and a set of other equipment of BSNL to Leh so that mobile and telecom connectivity could be restored at Leh and its adjoining areas at the earliest. Two more MI-17 helicopters are likely to join the rescue operations at Leh later in the day.State Police Chief Kuldeep Khoda said the toll might go up as several far flung villages were yet to be accessed by rescue teams in this high-altitude terrain. He said the number of missing was yet to be ascertained. A small village before Choglumsur, which bore the brunt of the incessant rains, was completely wiped out as rescue workers were looking for survivors in the mud slush and debris.
News On AIR | August 7, 2010 2:16 PM
Leh flood: Toll reaches 130, Armed forces step in