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 34 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.

In Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh is conducting an aerial survey of Pooh Sub-Division, the worst calamity hit area in the tribal district of Kinnaur today with senior officers of the state. He left for Kinnaur by state helicopter in the morning from Mandi.

Relief and rescue, as well as airlift operation of stranded persons in different parts of the district, resumed early in the morning again.

According to official sources, about 400 people are still to be airlifted who have registered themselves with district authorities for evacuation.

On the other hand, local people say that rescue teams are yet to reach places like Raksham and Chitkul in Sangla Valley.Restoration work of roads is being done on a war footing and priority is being given to open link roads.

Our correspondent reports that the state government has stepped up its efforts to normalise the situation in calamity hit district Kinnaur. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas with a team of senior officers.

He went to Nako, Pooh and Gyabung to know about the ground situation there and met local people. At almost all places people requested him to provide adequate compensation, as their fruit and other crops have been totally damaged.

Later, Virbhadra Singh is scheduled to visit district headquarter Reckong Peo, where he will discuss the whole situation with officials.

Chhattisgarh government has hired a 12-seater helicopter and pressed it into service for rescue operations in the flood-ravaged Uttarakhand where a large number of people from the state are still stranded at inaccessible locations.

An official spokesman said in Raipur that the decision was taken in consultation with the Uttarakhand government, which is mobilizing massive resources for rescue and relief operations. Chhattisgarh government has also provided an immediate relief of five crore rupees from CM relief fund to Uttarakhand.

As a large number of pilgrims are still stranded at various places, the Chhattisgarh government has dispatched rescue teams which are being directly supervised by State’s Resident Commissioner in Delhi and State’s Secretary, Revenue and Rehabilitation.

A helpline set up at Chhattisgarh Bhawan in Delhi has already collected information about state’s 778 people and efforts are being made to airlift them to safer places. Officials said, 40 rescued people have already reached Delhi.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said that 34 thousand people have been evacuated in the flood-hit Uttarakhand.

Talking to the media after chairing a review meeting in New Delhi, Mr Shinde said, 49 thousand are still stranded and 207 people confirmed dead in the disaster.

He said, 44 helicopters are currently deployed in the affected areas for relief and rescue operations. Mr Shinde added that more troops can be deployed if needed in the state.