The Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde visited Dehradun to tour the flood affected places in the State of Uttarakhand and after that to take stock of the situation by talking to the officials overseeing the rescue operations.   The Supreme Court of India responded to the devastation followed by the heavy rains and floods and directed the Central and State Governments two days ago to ensure effective evacuations and rescue operations in the flood hit area.  

The rescue teams increased the pace of its activity as rains are expected again within 48 hours to hit the area.  As there was a let up in the rains the rescue teams could save thousands of the pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand.   Roughly 30000 were evacuated but 50000 more are waiting for the help.  Still many of the stranded are suffering without food and drinking water not to talk of a shelter and place to rest.  44 helicopters are pressed into operation out which some are most modern Mig-26.

Actual loss of lives are still cannot be ascertained but thousands of dead bodies floating in the River Ganges were found by the rescue teams.  Some of the pilgrims started reaching Andhra Pradesh but whereabouts of many are still not known.  Char Dham yatra is closed for one year by the State of Uttarkhand.  

(AW-SriJa)