Air Force Choppers Join Rescue Ops In Uttarakhand, 5000 Evacuated

The trek route to Kedarnath suffered extensive damage as a result of a cloudburst in Junglechatti near Lincholi on Wednesday night.

The Indian Air Force's Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters today joined the rescue operations in Uttarakhand to evacuate pilgrims still stranded on the rain-ravaged trek route to Kedarnath.

The trek route to Kedarnath suffered extensive damage as a result of a cloudburst in Junglechatti near Lincholi on Wednesday night.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said since the start of rescue operations on Thursday morning, 5,000 people have been evacuated to safety, with some being airlifted.