Kanchanpur, Aug 7: A search operation has been reportedly intensified for those people who went missing in a landslide at Gaurikunda of Rudraprayag of Uttarakhand State of India four days ago. The landslide swept away three hotels owned by Nepalis in the area.
The Indian Police earlier retrieved three bodies, all males, from the landslide debris and they have been identified as Tek Bahadur Kami, Prakash Kami and Devi Kami from Manma of Kalikot district.
According to the Embassy of New Delhi in India, 11 Nepali are still missing in the disaster and while two others are suspected for the missing. Nepal Police Senior Superintendent Uma Prasad Chaturvedi from the Embassy said that the Indian security agencies had mobilised trained dogs in the search operations since Sunday.
The Embassy is closely coordinating with the Indian authorities to support the rescue efforts. However, the ongoing heavy rainfall and rising water levels in the Mandakini River are making rescue operations challenging.
As SSP Chaturwedi said, Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud has already talked to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other officials there, requesting to expedite the rescue efforts.
A noticeable number of Nepali people have been residing in the area as horse riders, hoteliers and workers for a long time. All those missing are from Jumla, the Embassy said.
