NEW DELHI: Thousands of people — including pilgrims who remained stranded in Uttarakhand which faced devastation due to flash floods in river Ganga and its tributaries — may not get quick relief as incessant rains and landslides completely broke down the state's communication network on Monday, making it difficult for Army and ITBP personnel to reach the exact trouble spots. 
Though hundreds of people were evacuated to safer places during the day, further relief and rescue operations got disrupted due to extensive landslides in the routes connecting Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. 

Admitting difficulties, the NDMA's vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy told TOI that the coming two-three days are very crucial as the authorities on the ground do not exactly know the extent of damage. 

"It seems the state authorities did not anticipate such a situation on Sunday night. We are in constant touch with local authorities after rushing Army and paramilitary personnel for immediate relief and rescue operations", said Reddy. 

Besides 12 teams (540 personnel) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), over 1,000 Army and ITBP personnel also reached different locations in Uttarakhand. "Army has already launched a dozen reconnaissance parties to inaccessible areas to obtain first-hand information", said an official. 

Shelters and emergency medical centres to accommodate about 300 people have been established at the ITBP camp in Joshimath. The paramilitary force spokesperson said that a number of 'Yatris' and vehicles were stranded en-route to Badrinath as the road at Pandukeshwar, 30 kilometres from Joshimath, towards Badrinath, has been blocked after landslides. 

"Army personnel have also been pressed into relief and rescue operations in Yamunanagar district of Haryana where significant swell in the water levels of river Yamuna left many persons including women and children stranded in flooded area", said an official. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has, meanwhile, kept its aircrafts on standby at Ambala, Sarsawa, Bareilley and Agra for prompt missions in affected areas. 

Officials here said that though the state disaster management authorities and district administration had done some preparatory work for monsoon, they did not anticipate such trouble in June. They said Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh had not witnessed such rains during mid-June in pervious many years.