Scores missing in flood-ravaged India

Soldiers rescue stranded people after heavy rains in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

Soldiers rescue stranded people after heavy rains in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

Published Jun 28, 2013

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New Delhi - Up to 3 000 people were now thought to be missing in a flood-devastated area of northern India, where more than 840 people, mostly pilgrims and tourists, have died, officials said on Friday.

The government of Uttarakhand state earlier put the figure of the missing at around 350. The revised number heightened fears that the death toll could rise further.

“Up to 3 000 people could be missing, but this is not a confirmed figure,” said Piyush Rautela, director of the state's disaster management division.

“We have written to various state governments to verify on missing pilgrims and tourists from their police and relief agencies.”

Early monsoon rains have triggered flash floods and landslides in the mountainous state of Uttarakhand since June 15, leaving tens of thousands stranded.

Federal Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said bodies were still buried under mud and rubble.”Our first priority was to rescue those alive. Now, we will try to determine how many bodies are still under the ground,” he said.

Local media reported that around 1 000 people in the state have been declared missing by relatives or loved ones. Many people have been camping in state capital Dehradun, waiting for some information from government agencies on the missing.

State officials said 104 687 pilgrims, tourists and villagers have been evacuated by air and road over the past days. Rescue operations were in their last phase with 1 237 people still to be evacuated.

Amid fears of disease from the decomposing bodies in the worst-hit temple town of Kedarnath, authorities were carrying out mass cremations.

This year's monsoon rains, believed to be the heaviest in the region in 88 years, led to large-scale devastation, with houses, roads and bridges destroyed by mud and debris. Officials estimate the loss to run in millions of dollars and say it will take months to rebuild infrastructure in the region. - Sapa-dpa

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