Uttarakhand: 2,500 people still stranded in Badrinath, rains hamper rescue work, nearly 600 unclaimed bodies cremated

Over 1,500 roads have been swept away, while around 2,000 houses and 154 bridges have been damaged.

The bodies of 18 personnel - from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) - who were among the 20 killed in Tuesday's chopper crash were also recovered.

Ten of the bodies were taken to Gauchar, which the IAF is using as an air base for rescue operations.

An ITBP officer said some of the bodies were so badly burnt that it was difficult to identify them.

The Mi-17 helicopter was carrying 20 personnel including five from the IAF, six from the ITBP and nine from the NDRF when it crashed Tuesday near Gaurikund while on a rescue mission.