Landslides and flash floods hamper Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand; Kedarnath yatra halted
PTC Web Desk: Uttarakhand is grappling with severe disruptions caused by heavy rainfall, which has led to a series of landslides and flash floods, especially impacting the Char Dham Yatra and local life in several districts. The Kedarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended as the route was blocked due to a massive landslide.
Around 3.30 am on Saturday, the pedestrian path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath was obstructed after falling debris and boulders from a landslide covered the trail. The authorities have halted all movement on the route while efforts to clear the debris are underway.
In the early hours of Saturday, the Rumsi stream in Agastyamuni’s Bedu Bagad area overflowed due to relentless rainfall, flooding several houses, hotels, and parking lots near the Kedarnath highway. The water, filled with mud and debris, resulted in flash-flood conditions. Locals reported that the stream swelled suddenly, bringing a torrent of silt and rubble into nearby properties.
Multiple homes and hotels along the highway were damaged, and several vehicles, including two-wheelers, were buried under the debris. Ongoing recovery efforts are being made to retrieve the submerged vehicles.
In Uttarkashi, a 100-metre stretch of the Yamunotri National Highway near Phoolchatti collapsed on Friday, cutting off vehicular movement in the area.
Bageshwar district also saw significant rainfall on Friday evening, with over 74 mm recorded in the Kapkot block. This triggered landslides, blocking nine roads in the region. Authorities have deployed 57 JCB machines to clear the routes and assist in relief operations.
In Tehri’s Balganga tehsil, a large tree fell onto the road near Nageshwar Saud early on Saturday morning, further disrupting traffic. The fallen tree obstructed the Uttarkashi-Kedarnath Char Dham motor route, hindering movement for both Kanwar pilgrims and Char Dham yatris.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Tehri, Nainital, Bageshwar, and Champawat over the next 48 hours, while a yellow alert has been issued for the remaining districts.
- With inputs from agencies
