PM Modi arrives in Dehradun to conduct survey of disaster-hit Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived here for an aerial survey of disaster-hit districts of Uttarakhand.

After an aerial survey of the disaster-ravaged areas spread over various districts, Modi will return to the Jolly Grant Airport and chair a high-level meeting there to review the situation before leaving for Delhi, officials said.

Modi was received at the Jolly Grant Airport by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who said in a social media post soon after receiving the PM at the airport, "The prime minister's presence in the midst of the affected people at this difficult time of disaster shows his sensitivity towards them."  Heavy rains, cloudbursts and landslides have ravaged various parts of Uttarakhand this monsoon including Dharali-Harsil in Uttarkashi, Tharali in Chamoli, Chenagad in Rudraprayag, Sainji in Pauri, Kapkot in Bageshwar and parts of Nainital district.

According to an official estimate, natural disasters in Uttarakhand since April this year have so far claimed 85 lives, injured 128 people and left 94 missing.

The prime minister's visit follows a recent visit by an inter-ministerial team from the Centre to the affected areas of the state to assess the damage.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Uttarakhand from his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, where he met his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

On Tuesday, Modi was on a day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to review the flood situation in the two states. He took stock of the flood situation and also conducted aerial surveys of the flood-ravaged areas in the two states.

He announced a Rs 1,600-crore assistance for flood-hit Punjab in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already in the state's kitty.