India, Aug. 9 -- Rescue teams have airlifted more than 1,000 people to safety from disaster-hit Dharali and Harsil to Uttarkashi town and Dehradun. The rescued include both local residents and pilgrims from across the country, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Saturday, hailing the effort as "a race against nature that we could not afford to lose."

Dhami said, "More than 1,000 people, including locals and pilgrims from across the country, have been rescued from disaster-hit Dharali and Harshil despite persistent bad weather and challenging terrain".

According to officials, of 449 people rescued on Saturday, 296 people were airlifted from Harsil-Dharali to Matli Uttarkashi, and another 153 were flown to Chinyalisaur in Uttarkash...