Heavy rains on Wednesday night caused significant damage to the Kedarnath trek route, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded. By Saturday afternoon, rescue efforts had successfully saved 8,495 people from various locations along the trek.
Rescue operations, led by Uttarakhand’s State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), were ongoing throughout the day. By 3 p.m., the teams had rescued 1,101 individuals using alternative routes and 414 people via helicopters. The SDRF has been working tirelessly to clear blocked paths and restore access for stranded pilgrims.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is closely overseeing the rescue efforts. He has appointed Vinay Shankar Pandey, Commissioner of Garhwal Division, as the nodal officer for restoring infrastructure along the Kedarnath route. The state government has issued orders to facilitate these efforts, including sending senior officials to the affected area to support rescue and restoration operations.
So far, three bodies have been recovered from different locations along the route. Efforts are also underway to restore the Chirbasa helipad, which had been closed due to a landslide. Manikant Mishra, Commandant of SDRF, reported that the helipad has been reopened after removing large boulders, greatly aiding rescue efforts. By 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, 40 people had been rescued from this location.
Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Vishakha Ashok Bhadane updated that the trek route was heavily damaged by landslides on July 31. Rescue teams have been working around the clock to help those stranded. Despite initial concerns, the SP confirmed that most people who were unreachable have now been in contact with their families and many have returned home safely.
Officials are continuing to provide food packets to stranded pilgrims. The district food and supply department has distributed food in areas like Bhimbali, while the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) has organized meals for those at the Kedarnath shrine.
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Garhwal MP Anil Baluni visited the affected areas in Sonprayag on Saturday. He conducted both aerial and ground inspections to assess the situation and directed local authorities on the next steps for the rescue and relief operations.
On Friday, the Indian Air Force deployed Chinook and Mi-17V5 helicopters to assist with the rescue mission, stationed at Gaucher to help evacuate stranded individuals from the Kedarnath trek route and the shrine area.
The rescue operations are expected to continue as teams work to ensure all stranded pilgrims are safely evacuated and provided with the necessary support.
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