Tech snag grounds IAF chopper
Shimla: One IAF chopper being grounded due to mechanical fault and others likely to be diverted to Uttarakhand for rescue operations, the Himachal Pradesh Government faces an uphill task to evacuate 500 stranded people in Kinnaur, including 40 foreign nationals. On Saturday, only 29 people were evacuated from Kinnaur as the State-owned Pawan Hans helicopter could not take up full load due to variation in air pressure and managed to make only two sorties. Such is the situation that the State Government had requested the Central Government to send some more IAF choppers to evacuate over 500 stranded people.
HP GOvt seeks over Rs1,400 crore aid
Shimla: The Himachal Government has demanded an aid of over Rs 1,400 crore from National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) of Central Government to carry out relief and rescue operations in the rain-affected areas, including worst-affected Kinnaur district. According to the report, till now total of 24 deaths have been reported, including 20 in Kinnaur, two in Sirmaur and two in Shimla and more than 10,000 animals have been reported to have perished due to excessive snowfall in higher reaches of Kinnaur district.
151 Odia pilgrims rescued, 112 on way to home
Bhubaneswar: As many as 151 Odia pilgrims trapped in various locations of Uttarakhand due to flood and landslide have been rescued so far and of them 112 persons are already on their way to Odisha. However, sources said that there was no information of any casualty of pilgrims from the State stranded in Uttarakhand, amidst reports that many more devotees from Odisha are still stuck at various areas in the hill State.
7 bodies recovered in Uttar Pradesh rivers
lucknow: As clear weather boosted rescue operations in flood-ravaged parts of Uttar Pradesh, especially in the western region, bodies of seven persons which reportedly came floating from Uttarakhand were recovered today from Bijnore and Bulandshahr districts. According to police, four bodies — two each in Nagla and Najibabad areas of Bijnore, and three in Narora area of Bulandshahr were recovered from the rivers.
Special train for stranded Andhra passengers
Rajahmundry: The South Central Railway (SCR) which is running a special train with 18 coaches from Delhi to Secunderabad for the pilgrims returning from Uttarakhand has decided to extend it to Visakhapatnam. The train left Delhi yesterday (June 21) at 2130hrs.
Andhra pradesh CM closely monitoring rescue operations
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy directed the chief secretary and other senior bureaucrats to closely monitor and expedite operations to bring back State’s pilgrims and tourists who had gone to Uttarakhand which was ravaged by rains and flash floods.
157 of 671 Tamil Nadu pilgrims rescued
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Government said157 of the total 671 pilgrims from the State, stranded in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, have returned home and officials have established contact with over 380 persons still awaiting return.