A sudden landslide struck a key stretch of the Kedarnath Yatra route in Uttarakhand late at night, stranding thousands of pilgrims in difficult terrain and triggering a large-scale rescue operation that safely evacuated over 10,000 devotees, ANI reported.
According to ANI, the landslide hit the Munkatiya area on the Sonprayag–Gaurikund stretch of the Shri Kedarnath Yatra route, completely blocking the main road and leaving a large number of pilgrims stranded midway.
The situation was compounded by nighttime conditions, bad weather, continuous falling debris, and the heavy movement of pilgrims on the hilly terrain.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) received information about the incident at 9:16 p.m. from DCR Rudraprayag, ANI said.
The SDRF Sonprayag team, led by Sub-Inspector Ashish Dimri, immediately rushed to the spot with rescue equipment.
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SDRF and NDRF teams then jointly launched relief and rescue operations without delay, ANI reported, playing what officials described as a crucial role in ensuring the safety and continuity of the pilgrimage under extremely challenging conditions.
The Kedarnath Yatra, one of India's most significant Hindu pilgrimages, draws hundreds of thousands of devotees every season to the ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated at an altitude of over 3,500 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas.
The Sonprayag–Gaurikund corridor is a critical bottleneck on the route, and landslides triggered by monsoon rains and unstable slopes are a recurring hazard in the region.
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Authorities have not yet confirmed when the blocked road will be fully cleared for pilgrims to resume the journey.
Officials have urged devotees to stay updated through verified sources before proceeding.
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