Hyderabad, Jul 10: Four pilgrims from Maharashtra have died and 158 others are still missing in rain-ravaged Uttarakhand, where rescue efforts have ended. About 81 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh are also missing.
A total of 3,014 persons from Maharashtra were in Uttarakhand when heavy rains and landslides struck the hill state, a major pilgrimage and tourist hub, on June 16, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Patangrao Kadam told reporters.
"Of these, 2,852 have returned home, 158 are still missing and four are confirmed dead," Kadam said.
The State Government has sent a list of missing persons to Uttarakhand authorities, he said. "They will officially declare the list of missing persons and the compensation. Maharashtra will announce a compensation package separately after the list is declared."
Kadam said the maximum number of missing persons hail from Aurangabad revenue division (71) followed by Nagpur (44), Pune (28), Konkan (7), Nashik and Amravati (four each).
Meanwhile, the Minister felicitated a team of 48 bureaucrats and doctors from Maharashtra which worked in relief camps in Dehradun and also assisted Uttarakhand authorities in rescue operations after the natural calamity, which claimed lives of hundreds of people. The team was led by Principal Secretary (Environment) R A Rajeev.
In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy also reviewed the issue with Chief Secretary P K Mohanty and other senior officials today.
A press release issued by the AP chief minister's office said that officials have been directed to conduct detailed verification about missing people.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a special emergency unit in Hyderabad, with personnel from the Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, to handle emergency rescue and relief operations. The personnel should be provided specialised training and modern equipment, he said.
