DEHRADUN: A devastating incident occurred on the Kedarnath yatra route when boulders fell between Sonprayag and Gaurikund, trapping a group of pilgrims. Unfortunately, five people lost their lives, while three others were injured and have been rescued. The rescue operation is facing challenges due to continuous rockfall.
Nandan Singh Rajwar, District Disaster Management Officer, told TNIE, "Due to challenging conditions caused by continuous rockfall during the rescue operation, the search was halted late Monday night and resumed early Tuesday morning. Following the resumption, two more bodies were recovered, bringing the death toll to five". Search efforts are ongoing in the area, as there is a possibility of other pilgrims still being trapped.
According to the police, a distress call around late Monday evening alerted Sonprayag police to a rockfall incident in a landslide-prone zone, approximately one kilometer beyond Sonprayag market, on the Sonprayag-Gaurikund route. Promptly responding to the emergency, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed a rescue team to the affected area.
According to Sub-Inspector Ashish Dimri, the SDRF team, upon reaching the incident site, managed to rescue three individuals trapped under the debris, while also recovering two bodies. The rescued injured persons have been transported to a nearby medical facility for further treatment.
Sources have revealed that rescue and search operations are ongoing, amid concerns that additional pilgrims may be trapped at the accident site. Authorities suspect that more individuals could be buried under the debris, prompting a continued search and rescue effort.