Over 130 Pilgrims Airlifted As Kedarnath Yatra Rescue Operations Enter Fifth Day

More than 130 people were airlifted to safety as rescue operations on the damaged Kedarnath yatra route entered their fifth day on Monday.

Air rescue efforts intensified as the weather cleared in Kedar Valley, with the Indian Air Force's Chinook and MI17 helicopters aiding in the evacuation of pilgrims, which had previously been carried out mostly by smaller helicopters, officials reported.

By 9 am, 133 people had been evacuated to safety outside Kedarnath Dham.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other rescue teams transported 100 additional people from Kedarnath Dham to Lincholi, from where they will be airlifted to the Shersi helipad.

Disaster management and rehabilitation secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said on Sunday that 10,374 people had been rescued from various points along the yatra route, including Kedarnath, Lincholi, Bhimbali, and Gaurikund.

Only 350 pilgrims remained in Kedarnath and 50 in Lincholi, he added.

Dense cloud cover in Kedarnath and surrounding areas had hampered air operations on Sunday, preventing the IAF's Chinook helicopter from making any sorties. Only 60 people were evacuated in three sorties made by the MI17 helicopter, Suman said.

Apart from some pilgrims, only priests, shopkeepers, horse and palanquin operators remained in Kedarnath and Gaurikund. If they wish to leave, they will also be evacuated, he added.

Adequate arrangements for food, water, and accommodation have been made for those evacuated in Sonprayag, Shersi, Chaumasi, Chardham helipad, and Kedarnath helipad, the official stated on Sunday.

Due to heavy rainfall and a cloudburst on July 31, the Kedarnath trek route was washed away in several places, including Lincholi, Bhimbali, Ghorapadav, and Rambada. Landslides damaged the path in other areas, stranding devotees.

Meanwhile, the Army has begun constructing a footbridge on the Sonprayag-Gaurikund road on the Kedarnath national highway, which had been washed away. They have also installed a trolley for the movement of differently-abled, sick, and elderly individuals in Sonprayag.

Two sniffer dogs have been deployed in the search and rescue operations. The operation from Lincholi to Rambada has been completed with no victims found.

NDRF teams are continuously conducting search operations in the forests and around the Mandakini river. Officials believe that many people might have moved towards the forests due to fear of the rain. Sniffer dogs have been deployed to search for them.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who is personally monitoring the search and rescue operations, appreciated the participation of locals. In a social media post, he called it "Devbhoomi's culture" of "Atithi Devo Bhava" and expressed gratitude to the locals, saying, "Your tireless efforts prevented major damage by heavy rain."