At least 5,000 people have been killed by flash flood in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand last week, said a government official on Sunday.

Illustrative image. (Source: Internet)

"At least 5,000 people must have been killed in the deluge that inflicted heavy damage on vast tracts of land especially in Kedarnath valley," disaster management minister Yashpal Arya told the media.

Rescuers and the military have rescued all the pilgrims stranded in the Kedarnath valley, Hindu the temple town which was the epicenter of the flood, described as Himalayan tsunami, which took by surprise local people and authorities last week.

The meteorological department has warned of more rains in the region from Monday. Some 19,000 people still remained stranded in three areas of the state, said Press Trust of India.

Bad weather halts rescue operations in flood-hit northern India

Indian authorities Sunday said that rescue operations have been halted in the flood-hit northern Indian state of Uttarakhand due to bad weather, even though more than 22,000 people are still stranded in various places.

Indian soldiers evacuate stranded pilgrims at Kedarnath valley in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on June 21, 2013. Indian authorities have evacuated a total of 70,000 people from flood-ravaged areas in the northern state of Uttarakhand while 22,000 remained stranded and official death toll attained 680, officials said Saturday. (Xinhua)

"Helicopters, pilots, food packages everything is ready, but we can't fly because of bad weather. We may get a window of opportunity for an hour or two to fly, will try to save as many as possible," Wing Commander RC Pathak of the Indian Air Force told the media.

The Indian Air Force and the Indian Army have been operating over 50 choppers across Uttarakhand to rescue thousands of people, mostly Hindu pilgrims, stranded in the difficult terrains of the hilly state which was hit by monsoon floods last Sunday. Nearly 75,000 people have so far been evacuated from the state till rains hampered rescue operations this morning.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army has appealed to the stranded people not to panic, saying that the rescue operations have been continuing on war footing.

"The Army operations have not been suspended. At Jungle Chatti, air operations were suspended due to weather. But, ground relief is on from Jangal Chatti to Gaurikund," Brigadier Uma Maheshwar of the Indian Army's Central Command said.

The official added, "Some 700 people stranded between Hanuman Chatti and Jungle Chatti have been located. We will try to establish contact with them by afternoon. Nearly 2,000 people are also waiting for evacuation in Harshil."

Source: Xinhuanet