Nearly 10,000 people have been evacuated today, with at least 2,000 being rescued by the Army from critical areas including Jungle Chatti, in mountains between Gaurikund and Rambara in Kedarnath. (Read) But nearly 500 are still stuck in the dangerous terrain which the government has dubbed a point of concern.
Officials say the stranded pilgrims in Rambara and Jungle Chatti seem to have taken refuge in the gorges and ravines in these areas when the massive deluge, triggered by torrential rains, occurred nearly a week ago.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which has rescued 3,500 people in Kedarnath in the last three days, plans to use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) tomorrow to locate survivors in these remote areas that remain inaccessible.
123 bodies have also been recovered by NDRF teams from the Kedarnath temple complex. Nearly 80 people are still stuck in the temple town which is one of the worst-hit in the flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the state. Rescuers are also scrambling to evacuate another 8,000 who are stranded in the holy town of Badrinath. (Full coverage)
A group of 20 trekkers, including six Americans, have also been rescued after they were marooned near a remote glacier since the rains struck last week.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who reviewed the situation in the state today, has set a three-day deadline for completion of rescue work, given the Met department's forecast of more rain from Sunday onwards. (Read)
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said all central and state government agencies were working in full coordination and harmony, a point he made hours after Mr Shinde spoke of a lack of coordination.
Over 60 helicopters of the Army and Air Force have been pressed into service in what is considered to be the biggest rescue operation launched by the armed forces. The Air Force's C130-J, a massive transport aircraft, today landed in Dharasu airstrip for the first time, and brought back to safety 113 people, including 17 foreigners, who had been rescued.
Two elite teams of Navy divers - with 12 members each - have also been sent to aid in rescue efforts. 16 more will join them today.
Distraught relatives clutching photographs of missing family members have been waiting for days outside the airport at Dehradun, the state capital, hoping for news of their loved ones. (Here's how you can help)
Lucknow: Bodies swept away by the flash floods in Uttarakhand continued to reach rivers in Uttar Pradesh as 11 more bodies were recovered today from the rivers in Bijnor and Bulandshahr districts.
"Eleven more bodies of Uttarakhand rain tragedy have been found in rivers in Bijnor and Bulanshahr districts," ADG (Law and Order) Arun Kumar told reporters on Monday.
A circular has been issued to police chiefs to keep tab of the rivers, he added.
Meanwhile, according to information received at police and relief commissioner's control rooms, over 1,000 people from Uttar Pradesh were still missing.
According to special secretary (Revenue) G Srinivas, 900 people of the state are in Haridwar, 450 in Rishikesh and 540 in Jollygrant (Dehradun).
He said four camps have been set up by the state government in Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun to take care of people of the state.
About the flood situation in UP, Srinivas said that besides Sharda, which is flowing 40 mm above danger mark in Palliakalan and Rapti, flowing 10 mm above danger mark in Shravasti the situation was normal.
New Delhi: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Monday said the remaining stranded people-numbering about 10,000--in the flood-ravaged state are safe and that the mammoth multi-agency evacuation process will be completed in two to three days.
"Worst is over now. All are safe in Badrinath, Harsil and Gangotri. Army, ITBP and NDRF are present there. It will take 2-3 days to finish the rescue work. Kedarnath valley is almost evacuated," Mr Bahuguna told PTI over phone.
As the state tries to recover from the floods and landslides triggered by the monsoon rain on June 16, Mr Bahuguna said precautionary measures have been taken in the wake of the forecast by the weather office that heavy to very heavy rainfall will hit the state over the next three days.
"There are people stranded in Badrinath and Harsil but they are looked after. Army, ITBP and NDRF are present there.
All the arrangements of food and water are made. As soon as the weather permits, they will be evacuated," he said.
Mr Bahuguna also said the state did not require helicopters from other states.
"Some states have offered to provide helicopters which we don't need. We have enough helicopters. Some states have given cheques in CM relief fund and we want to thank them," he said.
He also added that the state government will start distributing the compensation to the affected persons within a week.
"Once the evacuation and rescue work is over, we will start distributing relief and disbursing compensation. This was the worst tragedy but I am sure we will overcome this with the help of state governments and Prime Minister," he said.
The Chief Minister also dismissed allegations that locals were being ignored in evacuation and relief work.
"We are evacuating everyone, whether they are locals or piligrims. We are not discriminating," he said.
Mr Bahuguna did not think that VIP visits have been hampering the rescue work.
"VIPs are not going to those areas where people are stranded. They just make an aerial visit and go back. They are also not using the helipad made for rescue work," he added.
Once the rescue work is over, he said the state government's prime challenge will be to restore the infrastructure that has been damaged in the deluge which is expected to take about three years.
"This tragedy has pushed us three years back in terms of development. The economy of Uttarakhand is based on tourism and we have lost infrastructure. We have to rebuild roads, electricity towers and the basic infrastructure. It will take about 3 years to restore everything," Mr Bahuguna said.
Death toll in north India flooding above 10,000: Officials
Indian army soldiers help a survivor to cross a damaged mountain road in the northern state of Uttarakhand on June 27, 2013.
"No one can give the exact death count but after traveling to different disaster affected areas and information gathered from victims and other locals of the area I could say that death toll is around 10,000," Govind Singh Kunjwal, the speaker of the State Assembly, told reporters on Saturday.
Meanwhile, rescue work in the Badrinath district of flood-hit Uttarakhand state resumed on Saturday, and nearly 200 Hindu pilgrims were evacuated from the area.
Efforts are also being made to ensure supply of relief commodities to over 600 villages in Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts, where roads and bridges have been
washed away by floods or blocked by debris.
Officials say delivery of relief supplies has been hampered by the changing weather condition as they can be transported only by air.
Furthermore, over 200 families living along the banks of Bhagirathi River have been asked to move to safer places as the level of water is rising.
Teams of doctors have been dispatched to various districts of Uttarakhand state in the wake of an epidemic outbreak that is looming large due to decaying bodies lying under debris, and some flowing down the Gangs River.
A team of experts from Archaeological Survey of India is also scheduled to visit Kedarnath temple - one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva - to assess the damage caused to the shrine.
The annual monsoon rains sustain India's agriculture but also cause flooding that claims lives and damages property. This year, the rains are said to be the heaviest in the last 60 years.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
Twenty bravehearts, who died in Tuesday's chopper crash while rescuing stranded people in flood-ravaged areas of Uttarakhand, were given a 'guard of honour'-- a ceremonial mark of respect-- by the government today in Dehradun.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
Seen here are Uttarakhand Chief Vijay Bahuguna (left), Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde (centre) and Army chief General Bikram Singh during the Guard of Honour ceremony in Dehradun today.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
The sturdy Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force had crashed on Tuesday in a narrow valley in the hill state. Bodies of 19 personnel out of the 20 on board the ill-fated chopper, have been recovered.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
On board the ill-fated chopper were five IAF personnel, nine from the National Disaster Response Force and six Indo-Tibetan Border Police men.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
Speaking to reporters this morning, the Home Minister said more choppers will be sent to Uttarakhand to quicken rescue work.
Uttarakhand:
Guard of Honour for 20 bravehearts who died in the chopper crash
Over a lakh people have been rescued in the last 13 days since floods and torrential rains ravaged the state and rescuers hope that the weather will allow them to finish operations today.
Lieutenant General Anil Chait, the Central Army Commander and one of the seniormost officers, himself led a group of 500 people out of Badrinath.
Bad weather made it tough for helicopters to ferry the hundreds of people who remain stranded at Badrinath, now the focal point of rescue operations in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand.
Evacuations took place by road with the Army leading the way. People, who were being looked after in relief camps, were moved from Badrinath to Joshimath.
Most of the 43-kilometre journey was covered by vehicles.
For a 13-kilometre stretch, soldiers walked with batches of pilgrims to lend confidence and reassurance.
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