DEHRADUN: The monsoon rains and landslides in Uttarakhand have claimed 19 lives, with two more bodies recovered from Rudraprayag on Sunday. Rescue efforts have led to the successful evacuation of over 9,200 pilgrims stranded on the Kedarnath pedestrian route. Search operations for missing individuals are still underway, with 31 people injured in rain-related incidents.According to official sources, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team, aided by local villagers, utilised a drone to initiate a search operation in the forest on the other side of the Soan River. Upon spotting the drone, two stranded youths signalled for help from atop a rocky outcrop.The SDRF team successfully rescued the duo, Ankit Mandal and Sunil Singh, residents of Sarita Vihar, Delhi, who were precariously perched on a steep rock face, making it impossible for them to descend. The two youths had been stranded in Gaurikund since July 31, following a cloudburst. And in another daring rescue operation, the SDRF team from Sonprayag successfully evacuated 9 out of 11 pilgrims who were stranded in the forest, 8 kilometres above Trijuginarayan. The pilgrims, who were without food and water, were spotted by the SDRF team, led by SI Jitendra Singh, after a treacherous 5-kilometre climb along the Soan River. Speaking to TNIE, SDRF Commandant Manikant Mishra said, “The team traversed a 13-kilometre road route to reach Trijuginarayan, and then embarked on a challenging ascent, accompanied by local villagers, to reach the stranded pilgrims.” While 9 pilgrims have been safely rescued, two remain stranded due to the extremely difficult terrain.According to sources, the Indian Army is constructing a temporary bridge in Sonprayag, one of the landslide-affected areas, to expedite the evacuation of the remaining pilgrims. Meanwhile, the administration has airlifted fodder for thousands of horses and mules stranded on the pilgrimage route via helicopter. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said, “Clearing the debris and restoring the Kedarnath trek route may take around a week, depending on the weather.” He also added that repair work on the 150-meter stretch of the damaged route will commence soon. In a heartening display of compassion, the administration is working tirelessly to support not just humans but also animals in distress. Speaking to TNIE, Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Ashish Rawat said: “So far, over 4 tonnes of animal feed have been delivered to the Chirbasa helipad for animal owners in the Gaurikund area.” Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Suman stated, “A team of 865 relief workers is working round-the-clock to provide food, water, and shelter to stranded pilgrims and assist in efforts to safely evacuate them.”Rescue operations continue in Kedarnath, Gaurikund, and Sonprayag, with over 900 pilgrims awaiting evacuation since Thursday. However, the meteorological department has warned of heavy rainfall in parts of Uttarakhand until August 8, potentially hindering evacuation efforts.
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