Several rescued Uttarakhand flood victims going home in special trains recounted the ordeal they faced in the devastated state and bemoaned the government's apathy to their plight.
"The situation is really bad there. Many are still stranded. The government must expedite rescue work in the state," said a pilgrim.
"There is no help from the government. I have found my aunt, but my uncle is still missing. They had come to Uttarakhand June 9 and went missing June 16. I have come from Chennai," another pilgrim said at Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport.
Posters of missing people have been put up at the airport.
"There was no food, no water. I did not get anything to eat. Thankfully, I am going home. There are still many stranded," said a rescued tourist.
"The most vulnerable are old people. All you can see is water and uprooted trees. There is chaos and panic at Haridwar railway station due to the rush of people leaving Uttarakhand," he added.
Hundreds of people were killed in heavy rains and flash-floods that devastated Uttarakhand, especially the temple town of Kedarnath, a week ago. Thousands of stranded people, including pilgrims, have been rescued from the area.
