Heavy rains lashed Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the past two days and scores of pilgrims are now stranded after the rainfall triggered landslides. Yoga guru Ramdev, along with 400 students, are among those pilgrims stranded in Gangotri after the road to Uttarkashi caved in at many places.
The char dham yatra has been suspended and the region has been put on high alert. “Yatra to Kedarnath has been suspended for safety reasons till July 18…,” Rudraprayag District Magistrate Raghav Langar said. However, yatra to three other Himalayan shrines – Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri – continued though on a low key due to inclement weather condition.
The weather department has predicted heavy rainfall for the next three days as well. Uttarakhand authorities had earlier issued alerts in Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi. The lower areas of Srinagar city in Uttarakhand are experiencing a flood-like situation.
The waters of the Alaknanda River are also flowing above the danger mark. Uttarkashi District Magistrate Piyoosh Rautela said, “Water in some rivers is flowing above the danger level. We are monitoring the situation closely.” Uttarakhand was ravaged by flash floods in 2013 leaving thousands of tourists, pilgrims and locals dead.
