16 people are reported missing in the landslide caused by cloudburst and heavy rains on the Kedarnath footpath on Wednesday night. Their relatives have informed the police about this. They say that they are unable to contact these people since the incident. At the same time, about a thousand pilgrims are stranded in the Dham. Relief and rescue operations continued on Friday as well. Superintendent of Police Rudraprayag Dr. Vishakha Bhadane confirmed this and said that they are being searched. However, Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said that he does not have any such information. Meanwhile, 11 people died in the state in the last 24 hours in other rain-related accidents, while one is missing. Due to rain in Uttarakhand, most of the rivers are flowing close to the danger mark. The risk has increased due to landslides at various places on mountain routes and debris and stones falling from the hill. Supply of electricity and water supply is disrupted in many villages due to breakdown of power lines.
Landslide due to cloudburst at two places
Landslide occurred at two places between Lincholi and Bhimbali on the Kedarnath footpath due to cloudburst. Due to this, the footpath collapsed at many places. Two bridges of Rambada were washed away in the strong current of the Mandakini river. A warehouse and four dhabas in Gaurikund have also been washed away. Local people do business on the footpath these days. It is feared that the missing people are among them. However, no one is officially confirming this. The Superintendent of Police says that based on the information received from the people, search was done throughout the day, but no one has been found so far. Meanwhile, the Kedarnath Yatra remained suspended on Thursday due to the collapse of the Kedarnath highway and the footpath. More than 4,000 pilgrims stranded at various stops throughout the day were evacuated by the NDRF, SDRF and police and taken to safe places. Out of these, 700 pilgrims were rescued by helicopter. For this, the PMO has extended a helping hand and sent Air Force cargo helicopters Chinook and MI-17, which have reached Gauchar helipad. During this, 5,000 food packets were distributed to the pilgrims. In view of the rising Mandakini river, the hotels and lodges built on the river banks in Sonprayag and Gaurikund have been evacuated. Travel registration remained closed in Rishikesh and Haridwar. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday reached the disaster-hit Jakhaniyali of Tehri and Gaurikund of Rudraprayag and took stock of the rescue and relief operations.
