DEHRADUN: As many as 16 people were killed and six seriously injured after flash-floods and landslides triggered by "heavy to very heavy rainfall" wreaked havoc in parts of Uttarakhand in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
Kedarnath valley remained completely cut off following a landslide near Bhimbhali on the trek route, leaving nearly 450 people stranded, while the Kedarnath highway was washed away between Sonprayag and Gaurikund. As a result, the Char Dham yatra to the shrine was halted.
A statement from the chief minister's office said, "Due to landslides at many places on the Kedarnath trekking route, the yatra has been stopped for the time being in view of the pilgrims' safety." According to sources, Indian Air Force will join ongoing rescue operations at Kedarnath starting Friday.
SDRF commandant Manikant Mishra said, "About 425 people stranded in Bhimbali, Rambara, Lincholi along Kedarnath yatra route were airlifted. Almost 1,100 people stranded between Sonprayag and Bhimbali were shifted to a safer place via an alternative route."
(With inputs from Kalyan Das, Tapan Susheel & Yogesh Nagarkoti)
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