Over 10,000 Kedarnath Pilgrims Rescued After Landslide in Rudraprayag

More than 10,000 Kedarnath pilgrims were safely rescued after a massive landslide at Munkatiya disrupted the Sonprayag–Gaurikund highway stretch in Rudraprayag, a key gateway to the Kedarnath shrine.

Officials said the incident occurred late Tuesday night following heavy rainfall , when debris from unstable slopes blocked the critical NH route leading to the Kedarnath trek base , trapping thousands of devotees on the pilgrimage corridor.

The affected stretch lies on the busy Gaurikund–Sonprayag route , which connects road access to the 16-km trek toward Kedarnath Dham , one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the Himalayas.

Immediately after the blockade, the District Control Room (DCR) alerted the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) , which deployed teams from Sonprayag. Soon after, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined the joint rescue operation .

Rescue teams worked through continuous rainfall, darkness, rockfalls and low visibility , guiding pilgrims across the hazardous stretch. Authorities confirmed that 10,450 stranded devotees were safely moved to designated relief points, with no casualties reported .

After evacuation, earthmovers and JCB machines were deployed to clear debris and restore connectivity. The blocked highway was reopened, allowing vehicular movement to resume shortly after restoration work .

Officials said the Munkatiya zone is a known landslide-prone corridor during monsoon conditions , and teams remain deployed for continuous monitoring and precautionary surveillance even after reopening.

SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said advance deployment along the pilgrimage route helped ensure rapid coordination and quick evacuation despite extreme weather challenges.

Authorities have urged pilgrims to strictly follow weather advisories and route instructions , as the region remains vulnerable to fresh rainfall-triggered landslides .