Avalanche hits Atlakoti: Woman dead, 5 Hemkund Sahib devotees rescued

Uttarakhand avalanche: A woman was killed while five others have been rescued after a group of pilgrims were hit by an avalanche in Uttarakhand's Atlakoti. 

As per the officials’ statement, a group of six pilgrims were stuck after a glacier fragment broke off at Atlakoti on the Hemkund Sahib Yatra route on Sunday evening.  

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Keeping in view the safety and security of devotees, a joint search and rescue operation was launched by the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Later, the woman's body was recovered from the same area.

According to officials, the deceased has been identified as Kamaljit Kaur.

Notably, a total of 6 Sikh pilgrims were trapped in this avalanche. ITBP and SDRF successfully rescued five pilgrims on Sunday. During the search this morning, the team found the body of a female pilgrim, Kamaljit Kaur, in the snow. 

Halt on Hemkund Sahib Yatra

Earlier in the month of May, the yatra of Shri Hemkund Sahib, in Uttarakhand was halted for two days due to the snow lying on the route and an alert of heavy rains and after two days on May 28 resumed the yatra.

The portal of Hemkund Sahib opened for devotees on May 20 earlier in the month.

Hemkund Sahib Administration banned Yatra for these people 

Hemkund Sahib Administration imposed ban on the travel of children and elders above 60 years of age in view of heavy snow in Hemkund Sahib.

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Hemkund Sahib is the highest Gurdwara in the world with a height of 4,633 meters above sea level.