Heavy rain, landslides in Uttarakhand: Pilgrims including Malayalees stranded

DEHRADUN: Pilgrims, including Keralites, are stranded in Uttarakhand following heavy rains and landslides. A group of pilgrims travelling from Kedarnath to Gauri Kund found themselves stuck at Bhimbali. Police halted their movement after the road was blocked by descending rocks and soil.

The pilgrims had set out from Kedarnath in the morning following police instructions. However, the Uttarakhand government stated that their journey was halted midway as a safety precaution. The pilgrims requested that necessary accommodation and security arrangements be provided, citing the threat of landslides in the area.

In addition to Uttarakhand, heavy rains and widespread damage occurred in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. In Uttar Pradesh, 56 people died, and 46 were injured due to rains and storms that have persisted for three days.