Indian military personnel throw a rock with a rope attached across a river to help rescue pilgrims in Uttarakhand State, on June 22, 2013.
The death toll from the devastating floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in northern India has risen to 5,000.
“At least 5,000 people must have been killed in the deluge that inflicted heavy damage on vast tracts of land especially in Kedarnath Valley,” Indiaâ„¢s Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya told reporters on Sunday.
More than 19,000 people are still said to be stranded in the mountainous areas of Uttarakhand State, the epicenter of the flooding.
Indiaâ„¢s northern states have borne the brunt of the deadly monsoon floods in the country over the last week. Landslides and floods, set off by heavy rainfall, have left a trail of death and destruction in the region.
Officials say rescue and military forces rescued all the pilgrims stranded in Hindu pilgrimage spots in Kedarnath Valley.
Local authorities had earlier said that the death toll would rapidly rise as hundreds of buildings had been washed away.
Many of those affected by the floods are accusing the government of neglect.
The Indian Army has deployed more than 8,000 troops alongside paramilitary forces to the affected areas.
Indian media say the deadly floods are man-made, due to widespread construction, massive mining and power projects in the northern states.
Indiaâ„¢s meteorological department has warned of more rains in the region from Monday.
The monsoon season, lasting from June to October, causes floods with widespread destruction. This year, India’s monsoon rains are a month ahead of schedule.
Meanwhile, floods and landslides from monsoon rains have also hit neighboring Nepal, killing at least 39 people, the Nepalese government said.
DB/HMV
This article originally appeared on: Press TV