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Rudraprayag, (Uttarakhand): A devastating landslide late Monday night claimed the lives of five pilgrims on their way to Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, occurred near Gaurikund, about half a kilometer ahead of Sonprayag, burying the pilgrims under debris. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered the bodies from the site on Tuesday morning.
The accident took place along the Kedarnath walking route at a time when the area was experiencing continuous heavy rains.
Among the deceased were Gopal (50), Durgabai Khapar (50), and Samanbai (50), all residents of Dhar, Madhya Pradesh; Bharat Bhai Niralal (52) from Surat, Gujarat; and Titli Devi Mandal (70) from Dhanwa, Nepal. Several others were injured, including Jeevach Tiwari (60) from Nepal, Manpreet Singh (30) from West Bengal, and Chhaganlal (45) from Madhya Pradesh.
According to officials, the landslide was caused by heavy rains that had lashed Kedarghati earlier in the day. A group of 40 pilgrims from Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, had embarked on the Kedarnath pilgrimage. As they neared Gaurikund, a sudden landslide sent stones and debris cascading down the mountainside, sweeping several pilgrims off the path.
Emergency services, including local police and the SDRF, were alerted to the disaster by the Rudraprayag Disaster Control Room. Teams promptly arrived at the site and initiated rescue operations. SDRF personnel worked through challenging conditions to pull victims from the rubble.
Ongoing Landslide Threat
Anil Kumar, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Ukhimath, visited the site and said that the injured have been transported to Guptkashi Hospital for treatment.
SDRF official Ashish Dimri warned that the situation remains precarious, with stones continuing to fall intermittently, posing further risks to those in the area.
“Conditions at the incident site are extremely challenging due to ongoing landslides,” Dimri said. “We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure the safety of pedestrians.”
Authorities have advised pilgrims and travelers to exercise extreme caution and stay updated on weather conditions before proceeding with their journey.
