In Uttarakhand, the Army, Indian Air Force and ITBP have intensified their rescue operations to evacuate pilgrims and tourists from badly affected Kedar valley region in Rudraprayag district.

Helicopters from the Army, the IAF and the private sector have started carrying out sorties to rescue stranded people. Yesterday, 90 sorties were carried out. The IAF has introduced its helicopters, having capacity to carry people in good numbers.

The Army, ITBP and NDRF have also dropped their commandos to locate pilgrims and tourists stranded in remote areas in Kedar Valley and is developing landing facilities for helicopters.

Our Correspondent reports from Dehradun that the state government has announced a three-day state mourning. Several state governments including Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh have provided their helicopters for evacuation operation.

Thousands of pilgrims have been evacuated from Kedarnath during the last two days through helicopters but still a large number of pilgrims are stranded at Rambada, Fata and Gaurigaon.

The ITBP has deployed 1000 men in relief work in the state. It has said that the worst affected Kedarnath temple area has been evacuated of people and there could still be about 400-500 people in the upper reaches.

The ITBP spokesperson has said that they were not in a position to give the complete death toll in the disaster unless bodies are recovered. He said there could be a lot of people who could have been washed away but in such situations eyewitness accounts could sometimes be exaggerated.

About 35 thousand pilgrims and tourists have been evacuated till now from different parts of the flood affected areas mostly from Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts. The Army has mobilized 2500 additional troops for rescue and relief operations.

Army, ITBP and National Disaster Response Force NDRF are trying to build temporary bridges and roads so that people can be brought down and flown in small helicopters which are landing at all the major places struck by rains and floods.

The Border Roads Organisation, BRO and the Army have opened several roads affected by landslides in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh districts.

Vehicular movement has begun on NH-94 between Dharasu and Rishikesh and road linking Sitapur- Guptkashi- Mayali- Ghansali has been opened. In Badrinath region several roads in Chamoli district have also been opened to move stranded pilgrims and tourists by road transport.

Communication nodes have been established at Gaucher, Harsil, Joshimath and Rudraprayag by the Army to enable people to contact their families. 30 satellite phones have so far been set up and 20 more are likely to be used for the benefit of stranded pilgrims.

Stepping up efforts for evacuation of passengers, the railways have deputed senior staff to coordinate with state governments as well as ensuring running of special trains.

Special officers have been deputed at Dehradun, Haridwar and Rishikesh to oversee arrangements to facilitate train travel by stranded passengers. Passenger help booths at these locations have been set up and they are being manned round-the-clock.

Railway Protection Force RPF officers with adequate staff have been deputed at these four locations. Doctors and paramedical staff in sufficient numbers have also been deployed at these stations.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today reviewed rescue and relief operations in the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand at a meeting held in New Delhi this afternoon.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority, NDMA, Shashidhar Reddy said, NDMA and National Disaster Response Force have been asked to speed up rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.

Mr Reddy said, the Home Minister will visit the affected areas tomorrow to take stock of the situation.