Monsoon fury wreaks havoc in Uttarakhand: 12 killed, 320 stranded; Kedarnath yatra stalled
DEHRADUN: The monsoon has wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of 12 people, including three members of a family who were staying in a hotel that was swept away by the raging waters. Six others were injured in the disaster. Heavy overnight rains and a cloud burst triggered widespread flooding and house collapses, as several rivers in the region swelled to dangerous levels.
According to official sources, rescue teams have safely evacuated 320 people stranded on yatra routes. In light of the situation, the government has sounded a high alert in the Kedar Valley and temporarily suspended the Kedarnath Yatra.
The Kedarnath pedestrian path has been closed due to severe damage from cloud bursts. Rescue efforts are underway to evacuate stranded pilgrims, with helicopters being deployed to assist in the operation, according to sources in the Disaster Management Office.
Tehri District Magistrate Mayur Dixit stated, “Upon receiving reports of a hotel being swept away due to a cloud burst near Jakhnyali in Ghansali Block, Tehri, on late Wednesday night, teams from Revenue, Police, SDRF, Health, Roads, Electricity, and other departments were dispatched to the scene with JCBs and ambulances.”
Sources from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said that the rescue, relief, and search operations began immediately, resulting in the recovery of two bodies by night. One injured person died en route to the hospital. The deceased have been identified as Bhanu Prasad, 50, and Anita Devi, 45. In another incident, two individuals are reported missing in Chamoli’s Belchori, and a 26-year-old woman died in Rohida due to a landslide.
The District Disaster Management Officer, Nandan Singh Rajwar, told TNIE, “NDRF and SDRF personnel are working to rescue pilgrims in Lencholi. The most damage has been reported in Lencholi, Gaurikund, and Sonprayag. Stranded pilgrims and travellers are being rescued by helicopter, as roads and pedestrian paths have been damaged”.
SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra reported that since Thursday morning, teams have transferred 320 pilgrims to safety. The SDRF is continuously monitoring the situation in Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts. Reports indicate that a 30-meter stretch of the Kedarnath pedestrian path has been washed away near Jungle Chatti. As a precaution, 200 people have been accommodated in GMVN guest houses and police stations.
Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police, Ajay Singh told TNIE, “Two individuals, Sundar Singh and Arjun Singh Rana, were swept away by the raging waters of an overflowing seasonal canal near the Ordnance Factory in Dehradun’s Raipur area”. The SSP confirmed that the bodies of the two victims have been recovered.
Rajpur police sources in Dehradun reported that two Delhi youths, part of a 7-8 member Kanwar Yatra group from Sultanpuri, drowned in the swollen Sahastradhara River due to heavy monsoon rains. A third companion was rescued in a timely operation by Rajpur Police and SDRF team.
In Mussoorie, roads have been blocked due to landslides, and several roads in Karnaprayag have been closed due to debris and fallen trees. The Executive Engineer PWD, Jitendra Tripathi, said that the road is unsafe for heavy vehicles due to landslides.
The Gangotri Highway is being cleared of debris and boulders using a JCB machine, but the process is slow, causing inconvenience to Char Dham pilgrims and locals. A local resident, Suresh Negi, said that small machines are being sent by BRO, leading to delays in clearing the road.
In Tharali, a bridge over the Pranmati river has been washed away for the second time in a month. The bridge, built by DDRF, was destroyed in a matter of hours. The closure of the bridge has disrupted connectivity to five villages in Tharali.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday visited Jakhanyali village, which was ravaged by recent disasters, and met with the families of the victims. During his visit, CM Dhami offered condolences and comforted the grieving relatives of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.
