12 missing, many feared buried after massive landslide hits Kedarnath yatra route

"Relief teams are facing difficulty in carrying out rescue work due to heavy boulders and stones falling from the hill," said SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra.

Search and rescue operation underway after landslide destroys shops. (Photo | Special Arrangement) 

DEHRADUN: At least 10 to 12 people were reported missing after two shops collapsed in a landslide triggered by heavy rains near the Gaurikund post bridge, on the Kedarnath yatra route in Rudraprayag district around 11.30 pm on Thursday. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are continuously engaged in search operations. 

District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told The New Indian Express, "Two shops in front of the Dak culvert have been damaged due to a landslide triggered by heavy torrential rains in Gaurikund late on Thursday night." These people were working in shops when the accident took place.

"Relief teams are facing difficulty in carrying out rescue work due to heavy boulders and stones falling from the hill. The district administration and disaster management teams are on the spot, and continuous search operations are going on," said SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra.

An official of the District Disaster Management Office said, "Due to the continuous falling of stones from the adjacent hill due to torrential rains, it is difficult to rescue potential people trapped inside the shops and also hamper the relief work."

The list of missing people in the Gaurikund landslides are as follows: 

1. Ashu age 23, resident Janai.
2. Priyanshu Chamola S/O Kamlesh Chamola 18, resident of Tilwara.
3. Ranbir Singh, 28, resident of Busty.
4. Amar Bohra S/O Man Bahadur Bohra resident of Nepal.
5. Anita Bohra W/O Amar Bohra 26, resident Nepal.
6. Radhika Bohra D/O Amar Bohra 14, resident Nepal.
7. Pinky Bohra D/O Amar Bohra 8, resident Nepal.
8. Prithvi Bohra S/O Amar Bohra 7, resident Nepal.
9. Jatin S/O Amar Bohra 6, resident Nepal.
10. Vakil S/O Amar Bohra 3, resident Nepal.
11. Vinod S/O Badan Singh 26, resident of Khanwa Bharatpur.
12. Mulayam S/O Jaswant Singh 25, resident Nagla Banjara Saharanpur.