Uttarakhand death toll may be 1,000-plus: Bahuguna

Dehradun, June 23 (IANS) The death toll in the Uttarakhand disaster could cross 1,000, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said Sunday.

"The tragedy is still unfolding and a conclusive figure can only be arrived at after the rescue teams reach the areas devastated by the rains of the last weekend," he said.

But he said the fatalities could "well cross 1,000".

The chief minister said scores of houses had caved in, and slush in many areas had swept away or buried people, raising the spectre of a high death toll.

On the basis of reports reaching Dehradun, the Uttarakhand police control room also said the death toll would rise above 1,000.