In Jammu & Kashmir, with improvement in weather, relief and rescue operation across the flood ravaged Jammu region is being carried out in full swing.

Army is assisting the civil administration to reach out to the flood affected areas.

Meanwhile, Army has evacuated twenty thousand people in different parts of flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir so far.

A Defence Ministry release said, 60 medical teams are providing aid to affected people and 16 relief camps have been set up in different parts of the State. The release said Indian Air Force helicopters and aircraft dropped 155 tonnes of relief materials. A total of 45 aircraft and helicopters have been pressed into service.

National Disaster Response Force, NDRF, has so far rescued more than five thousand people, including women and children in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a news conference in New Delhi today, Director General of NDRF O P Singh said, 17 teams are working in the relief and rescue operations in the affected areas. He said, one NDRF team has been pressed into service to rescue people stuck in landslide-hit Pachauri Kadal village of Udhampur district.

Control rooms have been set up at Srinagar, Jammu and J&K House in New Delhi to actively monitor and coordinate the rescue and relief operations in the state. The contact number of control room in Srinagar is: 0194-2452138, Jammu, 0191-2560401 and New Delhi 011-24611210 and 24611108. Similarly, Ministry of Home Affairs Control Room can be contacted on phone numbers: 011- 23093054.

After remaining suspended for four consecutive days, the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine resumed today.

However, the Jammu-Srinagar national highways is still closed for vehicular movement.

Similarly, the train service to Katra is also at the halt. Though disruption in tele-communication has been hampering the rescue operation, yet the news that there will be no major rain fall in the next four days, has brought some respite to the people.