From the archive record
Evacuation of stranded people from flood-hit areas of Uttarakhand picked up pace with security forces rescuing 17 foreign tourists from Dharasu and sighting 1000 pilgrims stuck between Kedarnath and Gaurikund even as bad weather hampered chopper operations at some places. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, meanwhile, arrived here to review ongoing rescue efforts in consultation with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna. An eight-member team of experts is also being sent to Kedarnath shrine today to take a count of bodies lying in the temple area, Disaster Management authorities here said. Photos of the bodies strewn all over the area will be taken and put on the state government's official website, they said. Chopper operations were hampered here early this morning with overcast conditions d