Kedarnath, May 20 (H.S.): The Kedarnath pilgrimage route was disrupted on Tuesday night after heavy rainfall triggered landslides at three locations along the Sonprayag–Gaurikund stretch. However, prompt action by the district administration, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the police averted a major tragedy, ensuring the safety of thousands of pilgrims.

According to the administration, more than 694,000 devotees had visited the Kedarnath shrine for darshan of Baba Kedar till May 19. Continuous heavy rain during the night caused debris and mudslides on the route, severely affecting movement along the pilgrimage corridor.

Upon receiving information about the incident, District Magistrate Vishal Mishra began monitoring the situation through video conferencing and directed officials to intensify relief and rescue operations without delay.

Despite challenging weather and terrain conditions, rescue teams managed to partially restore the pedestrian route within nearly 30 minutes. Authorities then continued rescue and evacuation efforts throughout the night, safely shifting stranded pilgrims to secure locations.

Officials stated that the administration maintained constant monitoring of the situation while prioritising the safety of devotees. Later, debris was cleared with the help of JCB machines, and the route was reopened for movement.

The administration added that the Kedarnath Yatra is currently being conducted in a regulated manner, while weather conditions are being closely monitored to ensure the continued safety of pilgrims.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar