In pictures: India flood rescue operations

Rescuers help escort stranded pilgrims to helicopters to evacuate at Joshimath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, India, Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Military helicopters and army soldiers are leading rescue operations in India's flood-hit Uttarakhand state, where 150 people are now known to have died.

Members of the Indian Army evacuate an injured person during a search and rescue operation in the Chamoli district in the northern Uttarakhand state on June 19, 2013.

About 10,000 people have been rescued in over three days, PM Manmohan Singh has said.

In this photograph received from the Defence Ministry on June 19, 2013 members of the Indian Defence Forces rescue stranded villagers in the northern Uttarakhand state.

The floods have swept away buildings and triggered landslides in some places, blocking roads. More than 60,000 pilgrims are stranded at various places.

Indian pilgrims that were evacuated from a flood hit area by helicopter hug family members after arriving in Dehradun, the capital of the state of Uttarakhand on July 19, 2013.

Pilgrims who have been rescued have spoken about their ordeal. "We were stuck in the car for 14 hours, we spent the entire night there. The mountains were collapsing above us, while a river in spate was raging below us," one survivor told the BBC.

In this photograph received from the Defence Ministry on June 19, 2013 members of the Indian Defence Forces rescue stranded villagers in the northern Uttarakhand state

Meanwhile, more than 5,500 soldiers and hundreds of paramilitary and disaster management officials are working to rescue and provide emergency supplies to thousands of tourists and pilgrims stranded in towns and temples.

Indian army officials help travellers and villagers down a steep slope after they were stranded by the rising floodwaters of the River Alaknanda near Govindghat, Chamoli District in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on June 18,

Local officials told the BBC that the number of dead was expected to rise as rescue workers had still not reached many affected areas.

Members of the Indian Army gather stranded tourists and villagers who were rescued in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand June 18, 2013

State Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has described the floods as a "Himalayan tsunami" and said "very heavy casualties" are feared.