Rescues planned for last 550 stranded flood victims in India

At least 200 of the final 550 people stranded in India's northern flood-hit state of Uttarakhand were rescued Sunday, and officials said they hoped the rest could be taken to safety by the end of the day, according to DPA. Thousands of pilgrims, tourists and villagers were trapped in the upper elevations of the state as flash floods and landslides brought on by early monsoon rains damaged roads, bridges and buildings on the June 15-16 weekend. More than 100,000 stranded people have been rescued in air and foot operations involving the army, air force, border police, local administrations and National Disaster Management Agency. "We hope the rescue of all stranded people will be completed by this evening or at the most by tomorrow," an official at the state's disaster management unit said Sunday. "People are being helped down foot tracks, and air lifts by helicopters are continuing." Thousands of people are feared dead in the disaster with no clarity yet on the total death toll. Many bodies remained buried in piles of rubble, and at least 3,000 people were missing, the IANS news agency reported. Federal Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Saturday estimated the death toll at 900 but said it was not a complete figure.