Uttarakhand: India salutes its army engaged in rescue operations

New Delhi: Over 60 choppers and 10000 army and paramilitary personnel are engaged in the rescue operations following one of the worst calamities that hit Uttarakhand.45 Indian Air Force aircraft, 11 choppers from the Army, and a small fleet of civilian rotorcraft are working round the clock -- and against time -- to evacuate the pilgrims and tourists. The Uttarakhand flood has seen the C-130J's first real trial by fire over Indian terrain. The IAF has had to muster an unusual level of availability to cater to the demands that the state government in Uttarakhand has made on it.Rescuers are racing against time to reach out to those stranded.We salute Indian Army for their rescue efforts. Watch the operation in pics:Indian army personnel rescue stranded pilgrims to a safe place in one of the worst flood affected region in Govind Ghat, Uttarakhand. Floods triggered by torrential rains have killed many people in northern India.Indian army personnel distribute free food to stranded pilgrims after they were rescued from one of the worst flood affected region in Govind Ghat.Indian army personnel rescue stranded children and other people to a safe placeIndian army personnel rescue stranded pilgrims to a safe placeAn Indian army personnel carries a stranded woman pilgrim to a safer area in ChamoliIndian army personnel carry an injured flood victim on a stretcher for treatment in HemkundIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) use a rope to rescue stranded pilgrims cross a river swollen by flood waters at Govind GhatIndian Air Force personnel carry stranded pilgrims rescued from northern Indian state of UttarakhandIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) use a rope to rescue stranded pilgrims, in saffron turban, cross a river swollen by flood waters at GhangariaIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, in uniform, help stranded pilgrims on a makeshift bridge cross a stream of gushing floodwater at Govind GhatiIndian pilgrims sit inside an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft after they were rescued from the flood affected areasIndian army soldiers help stranded people climb down a mountain in GovindghatAn injured Indian pilgrim cries in a pain as Indian army soldiers carry him on a stretcher after he was rescued from the higher reaches of mountains at a makeshift helipad at JoshimathIndian armed forces personnel load relief material for flood affected victims on a helicopter in Dehradun