India rescue efforts intensify as flood death toll mounts

2013-06-23 717

Early monsoon floods bring roaring waters and landslides crashing down on northern India.

The disaster has destroyed swathes of the Himachal Pradesh state and killed at least 560 people in Uttarakhand state.

An estimated 150,000 have been airlifted to safety - many of them Hindu pilgrims and tourists rescued from the foothills of the Himalayas.

With tens of thousands still missing, the death toll is expected to rise.

Though rains eased Saturday, bad weather grounded Indian Air Force helicopters Sunday as the search for more stranded was suspended -- a task that may get tougher with more rain expected this week.