The Char Dham pilgrimage toll has reached 263 this year, with 120 deaths reported in Kedarnath alone by Thursday. Meanwhile, helicopter services have played a crucial role in responding to medical emergencies in Uttarakhand’s high-altitude pilgrimage sites.Between January and September, 19 people were directly rescued by helicopter and taken to higher medical centres, while another 200 pilgrims were airlifted for emergency medical care.
Heart attacks, chest pain, breathing difficulties caused by low oxygen and serious accident-related injuries have been among the emergencies reported during the pilgrimage season.
With more than 16.86 lakh devotees having visited Kedarnath so far this year, these figures underline the challenges of providing timely medical care in remote, high-altitude terrain.