Kathmandu, October 30
A helicopter carrying six people, including five passengers and a pilot, went missing near Joshimath in Chamoli district of India’s Uttarakhand state while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun. An aerial search operation has been launched to locate the aircraft.
The helicopter, reportedly operated by a company named Charlie X-Ray, lost contact near Hathi Parvat, close to Joshimath. The district administration has deployed another helicopter to search for the missing aircraft.
The incident comes amid adverse weather conditions in Uttarakhand, where rainfall and snowfall have been reported in several areas.
Kedarnath Dham also witnessed the season’s first heavy snowfall following continuous snowfall since Thursday, October 29. Surrounding hills were covered in snow, while temperatures in the area dropped significantly.
Dr CS Tomar, director of the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun, said rainfall was expected to continue over the next few days, particularly in the hill districts, with light to moderate showers likely in several places.
Speaking to ANI, Tomar said heavy rainfall was recorded at eight to nine locations across the state on October 29, particularly in Uttarkashi, Tehri and Haridwar districts. Similar conditions were expected on Friday, with a higher likelihood of rainfall in the Kumaon region.
“Tomorrow, on the 31st, chances of light to very light rain will persist, especially in the hilly districts. Similarly, on the 1st and 2nd (of November), light to very light rain may be witnessed at isolated places, particularly in our northern hilly districts,” he said.
In view of the forecast, district administrations have been placed on alert to ensure the safety of pilgrims and commuters.
On Thursday, District Magistrate Prashant Arya directed that the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) be placed on alert to monitor weather conditions and coordinate precautionary measures.
Authorities are also monitoring road conditions and the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines through live CCTV cameras.
The administration has urged devotees and pilgrims to take precautions against the cold and follow advisories issued by local authorities and police.
