Uttarakhand: 2 More Corpses Pulled Out Of Landslide Debris Near Gaurikund On Kedarnath Yatra Route

Two more bodies were pulled out from the debris of the landslide near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath Yatra route in Uttarakhand.

DRF and SDRF personnel conduct a search operation after a landslide that occured on Aug 4, at Gauri Kund in Rudraprayag, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023. ( Image Source :PTI )

Rescue workers pulled out two more bodies from under the debris of the landslide near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath Yatra route in Uttarakhand. The death toll of the tragedy has risen to seven while 16 people still remain missing, Rudraprayag Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said, as per a PTI report. The landslide washed away the shops near Daat Puliya close to a rain-fed waterfall and around 50 metres above the Mandakini on August 4. 

The latest in the list of deceased were identified as 25-year-old Anita Bohra and eight-year-old Jatil. 

The search operation continued for the ninth day by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Yatra Management Force although rescue efforts are hampered by intermittent rain and falling boulders from the hillsides. 

According to PTI, the nearly six-kilometre stretch between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is highly vulnerable to landslides.

Earlier, the State’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had instructed officials to speed up the relief and rescue work at the spot. He also asserted that an alert should be issued at all places where there is a threat of flood due to an increase in the water levels of the rivers and streams

Dhami directed the officials to evacuate the people living in landslide-prone areas, as per PTI.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami tweeted about the "unfortunate incident" and said the administration was engaged in relief and rescue work. 

"In Gaurikund area of ​​district Rudraprayag, due to heavy rains, landslides have caused damage to people and property. The team of disaster management and district administration is fully engaged in relief and rescue work. The government stands completely with the disaster victims," Dhami tweeted.

On Thursday night, another landslide killed five pilgrims after their car was buried under its debris at Tarsali in Phata area on the way to Kedarnath. 

State Disaster Response Force had launched a rescue operation after getting information but incessant rain hindered the work.

Five bodies were pulled out of the mangled remains of the car on Friday when the weather cleared. The car carrying pilgrims was going from Phata to Sonprayag when it was hit by a mass of stones and boulders falling from the mountain.