Bhubaneswar/Cuttack/Berhampur: Families of over 100 pilgrims from Odisha, who are stranded at different flood-affected areas in north India, are spending sleepless nights for the past two days. The state government on Wednesday assured them of necessary assistance.

"The Odisha government's resident commissioner in Delhi is in constant touch with the Uttarakhand government about the safety of people of Odisha there. The government is trying to provide all necessary assistance to the stranded pilgrims," home secretary U N Behera told media persons here. "For any assistance, people of the state can contact the office of the resident commissioner," Behera said. He denied having received any information on the death of any pilgrim from Odisha in the tragedy.

While the state government has no idea about the exact number of people of Odisha stranded in Uttarakhand, sources said nearly 80 pilgrims from Paralakhemundi and 20-odd people from Cuttack district had embarked on pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines a few weeks ago.

"After seeing the large scale devastation in Uttarakhand on television, I am worried about the safety of my son and daughter-in-law, who are trapped near Uttarkashi," said T A Rao from Paralakhemundi. "We are not able to contact them because of snapped telephone lines. I had last contacted them three days ago," he said.