INDIA: Authorities rescue stranded porters, 840 ponies after 35 days in flood hit North Indian state

Record ID: 1374186

  • Title: INDIA: Authorities rescue stranded porters, 840 ponies after 35 days in flood hit North Indian state
  • Date: 21st July 2013
  • Summary: GOVINDGHAT, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (JULY 20, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) RIVER WATER GUSHING PORTERS STANDING WITH THEIR PONIES OFFICIALS STANDING ON THE NEWLY MADE BRIDGE SEVERAL PONIES WALKING IN A QUEUE PONIES CARRYING LOAD PONIES WALKING THROUGH A ROCKY TERRAIN (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) THALJAM BHANDARI, OWNER OF A PONY, SAYING: "From the last 35 days our ponies and porters were stuck here and we worked very hard and pressurised the government who in turn ordered BRO (Border Roads Organization) to build a bridge and then today after so many days they have managed to start the rescue operation for our ponies." A MAN PULLING A PONY ON THE NEWLY MADE BRIDGE AND OTHER PONIES FOLLOWING (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) INDIA'S BORDER ROADS ORGANIZATION (BRO), MANAGER, RAHUL SRIVASTAVA, SAYING: "We have made all the necessary arrangements. We have a team of veterinarians waiting. We have been coming here from last many days and offering them medicines. As of now are ready to deal with any emergency situation with sufficient first aid and then there are police teams which are ready for any emergency." PONIES CROSSING THE RIVER THROUGH THE BRIDGE
  • Embargoed: 5th August 2013 21:37
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVAE5MYVVM4NJ2PFF772F4CIOYL9
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: India's Border Roads Organization (BRO) rescued 840 ponies and few porters stranded for last 35 days on the banks of River Alaknanda in the devastated northern state of Uttarakhand after the only bridge was washed out due to flash floods.
    The ponies crossed the river safely on Saturday (July 20).
    The only bridge connecting the sides of the banks was washed away by the gushing waters of Alaknanda in the flash floods which ravaged the picturesque Himalayan state in June.
    Several ponies had reportedly swept away in the flood water and many were stranded fighting starvation, adverse weather conditions and waiting for authorities to rescue them.
    Thaljam Bhandari, owner of a pony, lashed at the government of Uttarakhand and said that it required a lot of effort to shift focus of the government towards the stranded ponies and porters, which were to be rescued.
    "From the last 35 days our ponies and porters were stuck here and we worked very hard and pressurised the government who in turn ordered BRO (Border Roads Organization) to build a bridge and then today after so many days they have managed to start the rescue operation for our ponies," said Bhandari on Saturday.
    Meanwhile the officials of India's border roads organization (BRO) pumped in all their efforts to save the ponies and build a bridge in just four days.
    "We have made all the necessary arrangements. We have a team of veterinarians waiting. We have been coming here from last many days and offering them medicines. As of now are ready to deal with any emergency situation with sufficient first aid and then there are police teams which are ready for any emergency," said Rahul Srivastava, Manager of BRO.
    In June, flash floods and landslides unleashed by early monsoon rains killed at least 1,000 people Uttarakhand and left tens of thousands missing -- with the death toll expected to rise significantly.
    Houses and small apartment blocks on the banks of the Ganges, India's longest river and sacred to Hindus, toppled into the rushing, swollen waters and were swept away along with cars and trucks.
    Over 1, 05,000 stranded and marooned people were rescued by the personnel of Indian Air Force, Army, the para-military Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the flood ravaged state.
    The disaster had been dubbed as 'Himalayan tsunami' by the media due to the torrents of water unleashed in the hilly region, which sent mud and boulders crashing down, burying homes, sweeping away buildings, roads and bridges.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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