Rescuers have intensified their efforts to evacuate 10,000 people still stranded in flood and landslide affected areas of Uttarakhand.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau Neelam Kapoor said that a total of 83 aircrafts are being used in the relief and rescue operations being carried out by army, airforce, ITBP and NDRF.

She said, the main focus of today's operation will be Harsil where about 2,000 people are still stranded.

About 5,000 people are stranded in Badrinath. The NDRF has also deployed unmanned aerial vehicle 'Netra' to locate survivors in affected areas. NDRF DIG SS Guleria said that the UAV will operate today also to ensure that all survivors are located and evacuated.

The army, ITBP and NDRF will also launch a combing operation today in the affected areas to ensure that no one is left out in the devastated areas.

Our correspondent reports that the two-day combing operations will be launched from Gauri Kund to Kedarnath temple complex in Rudraprayag district.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had yesterday asked these agencies to initiate the combing operation.

The BSNL has opened toll free helpline numbers to trace the last location of BSNL mobile phones carried by tourists or pilgrims stuck in the hills. Helpline numbers are 1503 and 09412024365.

BSNL is also providing free phone facilities at all its telephone exchanges, telephone and control rooms at various locations to enable people to contact their families.

With Met Department predicting bad weather today, rescuers are making all out efforts to evacuate stranded people before any rain.

Meanwhile, former Home Secretary VK Duggal has called a meeting of all agencies involved in relief and rescue work in Dehradun today.

Mr. Duggal, who is a member of NDMA, has been asked by the Home Ministry to coordinate rescue and relief efforts being carried out by multiple agencies.