Dehradun, May 21: More than 10,000 pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath were safely rescued after a massive landslide blocked the highway in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, officials said on Thursday.
The incident occurred late Tuesday night near Munkatiya between Sonprayag and Gaurikund following intense rainfall in the mountainous region. Huge amounts of debris and continuous rockfalls disrupted the main pilgrimage route, leaving thousands of devotees stranded for several hours.
Officials said the difficult weather conditions, low visibility and unstable terrain made rescue efforts extremely challenging. Despite the risks, joint teams of the State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force launched an extensive overnight evacuation mission.
According to authorities, the District Control Room in Rudraprayag alerted SDRF personnel at around 9.16 pm immediately after receiving information about the landslide. Rescue teams stationed at Sonprayag quickly moved to the affected site with emergency equipment and support vehicles.
The combined rescue teams safely guided nearly 10,450 stranded pilgrims across the damaged stretch amid heavy rain and recurring rockfalls. Officials said rescue workers continuously motivated frightened travellers while ensuring safe movement through the dangerous zone.
After evacuation, the pilgrims were shifted to secure locations arranged by local authorities and disaster management teams.
Officials later deployed JCB machines and road-clearing equipment to remove debris from the highway. Restoration work continued for several hours before authorities reopened the route and resumed normal vehicular movement.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said advance deployment of rescue personnel along the Kedarnath Yatra route helped ensure a rapid response during the emergency.
He added that disaster response teams remained on high alert throughout the pilgrimage season due to unpredictable weather conditions in the Himalayan region.
Authorities have advised pilgrims to follow official weather advisories and travel updates while undertaking the Kedarnath Yatra as heavy rainfall activity continues in several parts of Uttarakhand.