Members of the defence forces rescue stranded villagers in Uttarakhand. (AFP/defence ministry)

Berhampur, June 19: Forty-odd pilgrims from Parlakhemundi in Gajapati district are stranded in Uttarakhand because of flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain there.

“Ten pilgrims are stuck in Uttarkashi, while the remaining 30 are in Gangotri. They are returning to Uttarkashi by foot. They are in distress and are walking more than 10km every day,” said district emergency officer Basant Kumar Hota.

He said 80 pilgrims from Parlakhemundi had left for the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in two groups on June 4. “All 40 pilgrims of the first group are now safe and are returning home. They were staying in Haridwar and reached Agra this afternoon. However, the other group is still in danger,” said Hota.

District administration officials, who are trying to establish contact with the second group, said they did not have the list of the pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand.

“We have collected mobile numbers of some pilgrims and have been trying to contact them. But all their mobile phones are either out of range or switched off probably because of low battery,” Hota said.

Local MLA K. Narayan Rao expressed concern over the safety of the pilgrims.

“I have had received many messages from pilgrims in distress and have requested the chief minister and district administration to make necessary arrangements for their safe return to Parlakhemundi,” said Rao.

District collector Basudev Bahinipati left for Koraput to meet the Union health secretary, who is there to review the health situation. He is expected to return by tomorrow