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Close to 63,000 people remained stranded or cut off in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand on Wednesday as the toll touched 150 and the rain finally let up after three days, helping authorities step up rescue and relief operations.
However, with 400-odd roads and 21 bridges washed away and vast swathes of land under water, it remained an uphill task.
The number of dead in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh - where many rivers are in spate - stood at 18 and in Himachal Pradesh at 14, according to reports.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a Rs. 1,000-crore relief package for Uttarakhand after an aerial survey of disaster-hit areas along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Of this, Rs. 145 crore has already been released. Calling what he saw "most distressing", Singh said "the loss of life could eventually be much higher".
The PM announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of the dead and Rs. 50,000 to the injured. In addition, Rs. 1 lakh would be given to those whose houses were destroyed and Rs. 50,000 to those whose houses were damaged. Help also poured in from other states such as UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi.
Gandhi, on her part, asked the chief ministers of the hill states to expedite relief work and restore power and communication. She plans to visit affected areas and relief camps shortly once again, Congress leader Ajay Maken said.
However, with 400-odd roads and 21 bridges washed away and vast swathes of land under water, it remained an uphill task.
The number of dead in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh - where many rivers are in spate - stood at 18 and in Himachal Pradesh at 14, according to reports.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a Rs. 1,000-crore relief package for Uttarakhand after an aerial survey of disaster-hit areas along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Of this, Rs. 145 crore has already been released. Calling what he saw "most distressing", Singh said "the loss of life could eventually be much higher".
The PM announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 2 lakh each to the families of the dead and Rs. 50,000 to the injured. In addition, Rs. 1 lakh would be given to those whose houses were destroyed and Rs. 50,000 to those whose houses were damaged. Help also poured in from other states such as UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Delhi.
Gandhi, on her part, asked the chief ministers of the hill states to expedite relief work and restore power and communication. She plans to visit affected areas and relief camps shortly once again, Congress leader Ajay Maken said.
- Unknown Updated at: Thursday, June 20, 2013
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