Indian Army rescues more foreign tourists,also evacates injured Austrian Tourists

Leh/Udhampur ,August 12 (Scoop News) – Indian Army and Armed Forces continued relentless rescue and relief operations in Ladakh high altitude area rescues more foreign tourists today.

One of the favourite destinations of the tourists visiting Ladakh region is Lamayuru and Aryan villages of Western Ladakh. Foreign tourists can be seen trekking in pairs along the Indus River. The picturesque landscape available in this area provides them with the pristine atmosphere which is most sought after. Many such ardent nature lovers were camping at different locations in these regions during the fateful night. Within moments they were trapped in the swirling waters of the river in spate. Fortunately the site on which they were camping was on a relative height and hence was able to sustain the fury.

The flash floods transformed the picturesque landscape of the region into a virtual disaster zone with buildings, houses and schools completely destroyed. Bridges have disappeared and roads simply washed away. Scores of houses in these areas were buried under several feet of mud, dimming chances of people being rescued alive. Forever in Operations Division had launched a massive rescue and relief operations for the victims of the devastating cloudburst to save as many lives as possible and also to extricate stranded civilians and foreign tourists from isolated areas.

The relief columns sent out by Forever in Operations Division in search of stranded people found many foreign tourists who were stranded in this region after the tragic flash flood due to the cloud burst. As many as 162 foreign tourists were stranded in village Lamayuru and ten in village Biamah. The relief
column of this formation reached out to them and evacuated them to safer areas. They were provided with assistance in terms of drinking water, food and medical facilities. Later they were also provided with transport to facilitate them to move to Kargil. Also, their well being was conveyed to their respective Embassies.



 

      Meanwhile Indian Army also evacated injured Austrian Tourists today.A request was made by Austrian Embassy at Delhi to the Government of India, for assistance in locating and evacuating some of their nationals from General area Khalsi on 11 August 2010.  Army troops of 14 Corps, responsible for the Ladakh area under took the task.  Army aviation heptr evacuated two injured Austrian citizens from general area of Khalsi.  It was learnt that Mr Benno Wiesenberger and Ms Gudrun Sonderegger of Austria were on a trekking trip in the area of Lamayuru.  During the trek both were injured and one was diagnosed with suspected spinal injury.

            On receiving the call from the Austrian Embassy, the Army immediately searched for these Austrian citizens, who were found at a local hospital in Khalsi.  The local hospital had no facility to treat spinal injury cases.  The Austrian citizens were immediately evacuated by Army Aviation Helicopters to Military Hospital in Leh.  They were admitted in Military Hospital at 5.10pm.

            Later the Austrian Ambassador to India personally spoke on phone to the army authorities at Leh and thanked them for the timely evacuation of his country’s citizens.  He also conveyed appreciation for the Indian Army’s efforts, on behalf of Government of Austria.

            The above has highlighted again the prompt action taken by the Indian Army in providing timely relief and rescue in the calamity hit Ladakh region.

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