Visakhaptnam, June 27, 2013: Ten out of the 211 pilgrims from Visakhapatnam district who had gone to Uttarakhand are still missing after the floods and landslides in that State, Collector V. Sheshadri informed Minister for Investments and Infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao during a review on the fate of pilgrims from the district, here on Wednesday.

“After verifying with relatives of the pilgrims it was estimated that 211 had left for the pilgrimage and 150 have returned home safely. We have received information that 45 are either in Dehradun or Harshil. Out of the remaining 16, six died and information about the remainder 10 is not available”, Mr. Sheshadri said. Efforts were being made to trace them.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao wanted the district administration to bring back the 45 pilgrims.

He assured that the Government would extend all help to the victims and their families.

The tour operators who attended the meeting said that all the buses that started from Visakhapatnam had returned along with pilgrims.

Most of them returned to their places by booking tickets on their own after reaching Hyderabad.

Officials of the Transport Department were also present.

Source: The Hindu, DT. June 27, 2013.