Rescue operations on Thursday picked up pace in rain-battered tribal Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh with two IAF and one state chopper making sorties to rescue 600 tourists and others stranded in remote areas.
The sorties started at 6.30am in the morning and people stranded at various places for past five days are being dropped at Rampur, official sources said.
The sorties to Sangla, Rekong Peo, Nako, Pooh and other cut off places would continue till the evening and a large number of people are expected to be evacuated by the evening.
In all, 278 people were evacuated till Wednesday evening and about 600 tourist and other people were still stranded at various places.
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh has convened a high-level meeting at Mandi to review the situation.