JAMMU, India, Aug 9, (Agencies): Indian military helicopters on Monday plucked about 150 foreign tourists to safety in the Himalayan region of Ladakh where flash floods have killed 165 people. At least 300 people remained missing from last week’s floods triggered by heavy rains that destroyed homes, uprooted telephone towers and deposited boulders and mud up to 15 feet high (4 metres) on highways, cutting road links with the rest of India. The remote region borders Pakistan, beset by the worst floods in 80 years which have killed over 1,600 people and left at least two million homeless.

“We have airlifted all 150 foreign tourists from Zanskar valley near Leh, where they were stranded for three days,” Priya Joshi, air force spokeswoman, said. About 160 people, mostly foreigners, were awaiting evacuation in the remote areas of Lama Yuru and Karu.
At least 25,000 people have been affected by the floods, army officials said. Some 7,000 soldiers were deployed to rebuild roads and bridges. Some 33 soldiers were also feared swept away in the floods that hit the Ladakh region on Friday.
Thousands of tourists travel to Ladakh every year to visit old Buddhist monasteries and for adventure sports such as white water rafting. “It will take a lot of time and effort to restore the communication network,” said Indian army brigadier Sanjay Chawla.

Sudden rains on Friday caused devastating floods that swept away roads, homes, bridges and power cables. Rescuers fear many more victims may have died after being buried in a tide of rock and mud.
Thousands of Indian soldiers, police and paramilitary troops have led the relief operation, sifting through buried homes and treating the injured.
Many people are feared buried in the village of Choglamsar on the outskirts of Leh. Sniffer dogs were in action on Monday to locate bodies.
About 100 foreign tourists stuck in the Zanskar valley were flown back to Leh by air force helicopters, army spokesman J.S. Brar told AFP in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. He said the remote Zanskar valley had been cut off by the floods.

“Our basic aim is to cater to the needs of injured and those who are displaced. We are doing our best,” Brar said.
Nearly 200 other foreigners were stranded elsewhere in Ladakh but efforts were underway to get them back to Leh, where the airport has remained open. Roads to the area remained blocked due to landslides and communication links were severely affected. However electricity was partially restored in Leh on Tuesday.
The Indian government said it was arranging for 20,000 bottles of drinking water to be airlifted to the town. Ladakh is a highly militarised area because of border disputes with both Pakistan and China. It is also renown for its Buddhist culture, and its mountains and rivers attract international adventure tourists.
The floods came as neighbouring Pakistan suffered the worst flooding in its history with 15 million people affected and at least 1,600 people killed.