Sonia Gandhi flags off relief material for Uttarakhand flood victims

Congress President Sonia Gandhi flagged off trucks carrying relief material for Uttarakhand floods victims from the party's Delhi headquarters this morning.

She was flanked by her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi as well as senior party leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Meanwhile, rescuers have intensified their efforts to evacuate 10,000 people still stranded in flood and landslide affected areas of Uttarakhand.

The army, ITBP and NDRF will also launch a combing operation today in the affected areas to ensure that no one is left out in the devastated areas.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna had yesterday asked these agencies to initiate the combing operation.

The BSNL has opened toll free helpline numbers to trace the last location of BSNL mobile phones carried by tourists or pilgrims stuck in the hills. Helpline numbers are 1503 and 09412024365.

BSNL is also providing free phone facilities at all its telephone exchanges, telephone and control rooms at various locations to enable people to contact their families.

With Met Department predicting bad weather today, rescuers are making all out efforts to evacuate stranded people before any rain.