Even as rescue operations continue across the flood ravaged areas of Uttarakhand, 1000 people are still stranded in Pittoragarh, and a total of 2395 villages in the area have been affected. According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), communication to most areas has been established and there are no reports of an epidemic in any part of the state.
Here are the latest developments in the story:
13 days after the Uttarakhand disaster, rescue workers were on Friday near the end of their mammoth mission with Harsil sector totally evacuated and they made a final push in Badrinath where around 1,400 people were still stranded.
With 3,000 people still reported missing in the floods and landslides after heavy rains pounded the hill state on June 15, visiting Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh sent a word of comfort that his troops and Indian Air Force personnel will continue their operations till the last person is evacuated.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has asked the Air Force for additional helicopters so that food and commodities can be made available for the villages. The state government is also looking at stocking up on animal fodder.
"State government mentioned 1,000 people are stranded in Pithoragarh. Helicopters will start evacuating them as well. Out of a total of 20,000 villages about 2,395 villages have been affected. 739 villages are yet to be connected," said M Shashidhar Reddy, Vice-Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Over 100,000 people have been rescued in the last 13 days since floods and torrential rains ravaged the state.
20 soldiers, 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 in Dehradun today.
Even as the soldiers were being honoured, a Pawan Hans helicopter that was on a rescue mission crash landed in Harsil. The tail rotor of the chopper suffered slight damage. No causalities were reported.
About 3000 people are believed to be missing in the state. An official said about 1500 roads had been washed away, over 2000 houses and 154 bridges have been damaged in the state.
Mass cremation of bodies in Kedarnath, the worst-affected in the flood fury, is also on, as authorities are racing against time to minimise risks of epidemic outbreak. The union health ministry has assured that no outbreak of disease has been reported from any part of Uttarakhand, though there have been some cases of diarrhoea in Haridwar, Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag.
With a large number of people still missing, and their bodies feared trapped under layers of debris and slush in the flood-hit state, the focus now will be on finding them, according to Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.
