Flood disaster: Kedarnath cleared; focus now on Badrinath

With the worst-hit Kedarnath officially cleared of all survivors, the focus of the rescue operations today, the ninth day of the devastating floods and landslides in mountainous Uttarakhand state, shifted to Badrinath and Harsil, where some 8,000 people – a bulk of them pilgrims – remain stranded.

Navy commandos MARCOS on Tuesday have been called in to carry out rescue operations in Rudraprayag. The weather, which had deteriorated overnight, improved slightly today, allowing helicopters to resume sorties. However, the meteorological department has warned of more rains today and tomorrow.

Indo-Tibetan Border Police were rescuing victims through a rope bridge fixed over Alaknanda river at Lambagad en route to Badrinath.

Reports say poor visibility and heavy cloud formation along the air route amidst sharply curving mountains do not allow air force pilots to speed up the last lag of rescue operations.

Of the 8,000 people, 5,000 are stuck in Badrinath and the rest in Harsil and the adjoining areas.

The holy mountaintop town of Badrinath is still cut off because of landslides that have blocked the main highway leading to it.

Army men are camping with the 5,000 people who are reported to have supplies and medicines to last for a week.

The heavy rain overnight has made even evacuation on foot impossible for now. The people stranded in Harsil, which is 240 km from Haridwar, are waiting to be air-lifted.