Over 30 students feared buried in Uttarakhand school collapse
By ANIWednesday, August 18, 2010
SOMGARH - Over 30 students were feared to be buried in a collapsed school building in a massive landslide that occurred at Somgarh village of District Bagesvar in Uttarakhand’s Kumaun region.
The school-Saraswati Shisu Mandir-was situated near the hill where this land slide occured on Wednesday morning.
The Commissioner of Kumaun asked for ITBP search and rescue teams.
Integrated Search and Rescue Teams of ITBP immediately rushed to the site from sector Head Quarters Almora.
The team that also include five specially trained medics, comprises three platoons is equipped with all advance equipment required for search and rescue at this disaster site.
This team is also having all emergency medicines,oxygen cylinders, stretchers and other medical equipments.
The road between Tapkote and Somgarh is damaged at several places. No vehicle can move beyond 8 km point from Tapkote because of broken roads and bridges.
ITBP teams walked 8km on foot to reach the site. About four students have been saved alive. The rescue operation is going on. It will continue in night also, an official release stated.
The ITBP has also been on the forefront of relief and rescue operations in Leh, evacuating people from under the debris, retrieving dead bodies, providing the homeless with food and other basic amenities. (ANI)