The U.S. government offered its support to India following a series of massive floods that claimed nearly 600 and stranded another 50,000 people in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Vijay Bahguna, Uttarakhand's chief minister, told CNN on June 21 that army soldiers were in the midst of recovering over 550 bodies that were buried deep within the muddy floodwaters. 

Another state official said the death toll for Uttarakhand — a Himalayan state that shares a border with Nepal and China — could eventually stretch into the thousands as rescuers continue to assess the damage across the rest of the state.

Massive landslides that washed away entire roads and bridges left 50,000 residents stranded in Uttarakhand — a state often referred to as the "Land of the Gods" due to the many holy Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers found throughout the state. 

On Friday, a U.S. government official traveling to India with Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. was ready to help in any way possible.

"The United States, of course, stands ready to help in any way that we can, if the government of India thinks that would be useful. And our authorities are in close touch now with the appropriate Indian authorities," the official said. 

"The United States extends its condolences to the people and to the government of India for the terrible loss of life that has occurred as a result of the floods in northern India," he added.

Source: Indus Business Journal, DT. June 27, 2013.