Rains in parts of India's flood-ravaged state of Uttarakhand on Monday delayed operations to rescue around 10,000 people still stranded in the mountains, state officials said. Flash floods and landslides brought on by heavy monsoon rains on June 15 and 16 led to large scale devastation, with houses, roads and bridges washed away or flattened by mud and debris. Many of the people caught in the floods are pilgrims, and Uttarakhand Disaster Relief Minister Jaspal Arya said people were stuck near the Badrinath pilgrimage site and the Harsil area. A large number of them were in relief camps, he said, according to DPA. "Many of the rescue helicopters used for aerial evacuations have not been able to take off because of bad weather and rains, and since mountains are covered in mist," he said. Ground operations were also affected. Two major landslides near Rudraprayag, which is serving as a base for rescue operations, have blocked a main supply road, broadcaster NDTV reported. The official death toll stands at 680, with an estimated 90,000 people rescued so far. But many are still missing, and the death toll is likely to increase substantially as more bodies are found. Heavy downpours were expected in several places in the region Tuesday but weather officials said there would be some "windows of opportunity" to conduct helicopter sorties. The International Committee of the Red Cross committed 390,000 euros (511,350 dollars) for the distribution of emergency relief items and provide safe water for up to 25,000 flood victims. The US announced a 150,000-dollar relief package.
