One killed in landslide, efforts on to trace Almora SDM

One person was killed and another severely injured in a landslide in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district today even as efforts were intensified to trace Almora SDM Ajay Arora, who slipped off a makeshift bridge and fell into the Mandakini river five days back.
"A passerby was killed while another sustained serious injuries in a landslide triggered by rains near a mountain in Jhulaghat area of Pithoragarh," said officials of Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre.
A team from the local administration rushed to the spot on getting information about the incident. Efforts were being made to ascertain the identity of the affected persons, they said.

Most areas of the state witnessed cloudy skies with MeT officials predicting rain. Light showers have been reported from few places in the state.
Meanwhile, attempts to search Almora SDM Ajay Arora continued on the fifth day today.
Trained PAC and NDRF divers have been combing Mandakini river at Sonprayag and Gaurikund in a bid to look for him, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer, Meera Kaintura, said.

Arora slipped off the makeshift bridge and fell into the Mandakini which was is spate following heavy rains in Rudraprayag district on July 31.
Arora was returning to the Garurchatti base camp after taking stock of the relief operations, when the mishap occurred.

The attempts to provide relief material employing mules in the affected areas and repairing the damaged roads are also going on simultaneously.
So far, 418.3 quintals of foodstuff and gas cylinders has been distributed among the affected Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts, officials said.
In a relief measure to the affected farmers, the state government has decided to purchase their agricultural produce and would also be providing cash to buy mules to those relying on mules for their livelihood.