Stranded TN pilgrims to be be flown back to Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Thursday announced that the 399 pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand due to floods will be flown back to the state at government's expense.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said a team of state government officials has been directed to reach Dehradun.

The officials will interact with Uttarakhand and central government officials to fly back stranded pilgrims, hailing from Tamil Nadu, to Dehradun and to New Delhi.

From Delhi, the pilgrims will be flown back to Chennai, she said.

A helpline (011-24193455, 011-24193456) has been set up in the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi and in Chennai emergency control room to assist family members of the pilgrims with phone numbers 1070, 044-23452323 have been set up.

She said the pilgrims from Tamil Nadu are safe in Uttarakhand and the government will act on a war footing to being them back safely.

Thousands are said to be missing in Uttarakhand after heavy rains and cloudburst triggered landslides and flash floods. More than 100 people were killed and over 60,000 have been stranded.