Uttarakhand: 3000 Still Missing, Mass Cremations Begin
Floods in Uttarakhand have caused widespread devastation. A reported 3000 people are still missing. Mass cremations have begun as Indian residents mourn hundreds who were killed in the flood.
Government officials have reported that up to 3000 residents are still missing. Authorities with the National Disaster Management Authority have stated that the official death toll is is now 560. However, rescue efforts have slowed.
As reported by IBN News, officials with the Ministry of Home Affairs explain that they will now focus on helping residents find shelter, food, and medical care. M Shashidhar Reddy, of the National Disaster Management Authority, estimates that over 2200 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Despite the evacuation of nearly 100,000 residents, the flooding and landslides have killed hundreds. With 3000 still missing, the Uttarakhand flood death toll may continue to rise.
Mass cremations have been delayed due to adverse weather conditions. However, breaks in the weather have allowed for the cremation of over 200. Priests, who were flown to the area, have performed the funerals in Kedarnath.
As reported by BBC, An early monsoon season has been blamed for the widespread devastation. Officials estimate that rains were the “heaviest in 80 years.”
Forensic experts have collected DNA samples and photographs in an attempt to identify hundreds of corpses.
Authorities expect that many of the missing residents are likely buried under several feet of mud, or in the dense jungles. The heat and moisture have contributed to accelerated decomposition. Officials fear hundreds of residents will never be found or identified.
The unhygienic conditions have led to serious concern about the spread of disease among the survivors. As reported by Indian Express, testing by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed that the drinking water, air and food have been deemed free of contamination and disease.
Officials from several health organizations remain in the area monitoring the situation closely. Workers are not only monitoring for disease, they are also providing medical, psychological, and social support.
Uttarakhand residents continue to feel the devastating effects of the flooding as they mourn the loss of their family and friends. As the dead are cremated and authorities shift their focus to the survivors, residents can begin to heal and rebuild their communities.
[Image via Flickr]
