Kedarnath Yatra Suspended Amid Heavy Rainfall in Uttarakhand

Torrential rains in Uttarakhand's Tehri and Rudraprayag districts have led to the suspension of the Kedarnath Yatra for two days. 12 NDRF and 60 SDRF teams are actively engaged in rescue operations as 11 people have died and 8 others are seriously injured.

Amid relentless rainfall in Tehri and Rudraprayag districts, the Uttarakhand Director General of Police, Abhinav Kumar, announced on Thursday that the Kedarnath Yatra has been suspended for 48 hours. The severe weather led to the deployment of 12 NDRF and 60 SDRF teams for rescue operations.

Kumar highlighted that a weather warning had been issued for heavy rainfall for 48 hours, prompting police, NDRF, SDRF, and local administrations to remain on high alert. Reports of mudslides and falling rocks started pouring in Thursday night, leading to immediate rescue efforts. State and central agencies are fully engaged in this mission. The Chief Minister has visited the affected regions to oversee the situation.

Tragically, 11 people have lost their lives, and 8 are critically injured. Approximately 1,000 people were stranded in Kedarnath, with an additional 800 on the trek route. Rescue operations continue, utilizing IAF and private helicopters to extricate those affected. The government has restricted pilgrim movement on the Yamunotri and Kedarnath trek routes.

On Thursday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted a ground inspection of rain-affected areas. Heavy rains overnight caused severe damage to infrastructure, including roads, foot-bridges, and essential services. Dhami immediately activated the State Disaster Operations Center, emphasizing coordination across all rescue teams. By 5 pm Thursday, about 1,500 stranded pilgrims were safely evacuated from various locations.