India Floods: Rain halts relief effort as 6,000 remain stranded

Around 6,000 people still remain stranded as heavy rain prevented rescue efforts from continuing in north India to evacuate people stranded in the flood-hit hill state of Uttarakhand.

Despite relief camps being set up, fresh landslides have prevented rescuers going by road to Badrinath where thousands of pilgrims are waiting to be rescued.

The search and rescue operation in Kedarnath has concluded, said officials today. "No survivors remain in the jungles around Kedarnath. They have all been brought out," said Ravinath Raman, an officer involved with the rescue operation to NDTV.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited the flood-hit areas this morning in a helicopter after nearly a week of absence. However India's Home Ministry said VVIP visits were hampering rescue efforts as the use of security and helicopters could be used on those stranded.

"Rahul Gandhi is not going there as a VIP. He is going there as a citizen, as the vice-president of Congress to oversee that the relief materials reach in place" commented Congress spokeperson Renuka Chowdhary. (NewsPoint)