Crisis in Himalayas

After deluge of last week, agencies are facing a herculean task of saving as many lives as possible before weather strikes again in Uttarakhand state of Indian Himalayas. Still few thousands are stranded waiting to be either airlifted or trekking down the hills to safety. Deads are still countless. Calculating casualty figures is still a distant possibility. With rain catching up again in coming days, its a race against time to save the remaining ones.

An areial view of a damaged road after landslide, in Srinagar, Uttarakhand. It will take months before they are back in shape.

Pilgrims rescued by the Army wait to board helicopters at Gauri Kund. It was among the worst affected areas.

Pilgrims rescued by the Army, wait to board helicopters, at Gauri Kund. Who would have thought that at this age they would be facing such ordeal!

Body of a victim struck in the boulders.

Houses hanging precariously on the river after water engulfed earthe beneath them,

Stranded Indian pilgrims make their way up a mountain after a section of road was washed away in Govind Ghat

Pilgrims rescued by the Army at Gauri Kund. Tough to survive here.

With dead bodies rotting, vultures are already hovering the temple town.

Rescue operations by Indo Tibetan Border Police in progress at Govindghat.

Rescued pilgrims being received by family members on their return in Allahabad on Saturday from flood-devastated Uttarakhand

Water gushes down a river as Indian paramilitary soldiers and volunteers stand near a makeshift bridge after it was damaged hampering to evacuate the stranded pilgrims in Govindghat.

A placard showing a portrait of a missing pilgrim is seen on a wall at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, state capital of Uttarakhand. After all stranded ones are rescued, a franatic search for missing ones will start.

At some places bridges were flown away, while at many other approach to bridge was washed away.

Army personnel rescue pilgrims at Tawaghat in rain-battered Uttarakhand on Saturday.

Stranded Indian pilgrims make their way down a mountain after a section of road was washed away in Govind Ghat. Local labourers were a big help in carrying weak people.

Stranded Indian pilgrims walk towards a waiting helicopter after they were evacuated in Govindghat

An areial view of a damaged road after landslide near Gaurikund

A landslide-damaged building stands on the edge of a newly-created precipice as an Indian shopkeeper salvages a sack of onions from the premises in Govind Ghat

scores of bodies are still struck. The sudden burst gave many no chance to recover.

Deluge in Himalayas was so powerful that down in Agra, Yamuna just touched TajMahal.