Over a dozen people are reported to be missing and feared trapped in the debris as a major landslide struck the Gaurikund post bridge along the Kedarnath Yatra route following heavy rains on Thursday night.
Officials said that three shops have been washed away due to the landslide. “At least a dozen people are feared missing after three shops were washed away in the river due to a landslide near GauriKund,” Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Nandan Singh Rajwar said.
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Those missing have been identified as Vinod (26), Mulayam (25), Ashu (23), Priyanshu Chamola (18), Ranbir Singh (28), Amar Bohra, his wife Anita Bohra, their daughters, Radhika Bohra and Pinki Bohra, and sons Prithvi Bohra (7), Jatil (6) and Vakil (3).
According to the officials, relief and rescue operations were underway by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
However, heavy rains coupled with boulders falling intermittently from the hillsides were hampering relief and rescue efforts, Circle Officer Vimal Rawat told PTI.
Meanwhile, IMD had issued an orange alert for Uttarakhand in Pauri, Tehri, Rudraparayag and Dehradun warning of heavy rains on Friday.
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