Major landslide on Kedarnath yatra route, many feared buried

Many are feared buried in the debris of shops that were destroyed due to a major landslide near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath yatra route in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district. A team from the state disaster response force (SDRF) has started the search and rescue operation.

According to an official of the Rudraprayag disaster management, 10 to 12 people are feared to be buried or washed away in the landslide.

Three shops are reported to have been damaged due to the landslide after heavy torrential rains near the Gaurikund post bridge last night.

SP Rudraprayag, Dr Visakha said, “The operation is going on to find the missing people.”

“We got information that three shops were affected because of falling rocks and heavy rainfall…The search operation was started immediately. It was said that around 10-12 people were there but till now they have not been located,” Disaster Management Officer Dalip Singh Rajwar told ANI.

Gaurikund, named after Goddess Parvati, is a pilgrimage site and also serves as a base camp for a trek to Kedarnath Temple.

Amid monsoon, the number of pilgrims coming to the Kedarnath shrine has come down due to fear of rain-related incidents.