DEHRADUN: More than 230 stranded pilgrims were evacuated as rescue operations on the landslide-hit Kedarnath route in Uttarakhand continued for the sixth day on Tuesday, officials said.Though poor weather conditions and low visibility hindered the resumption of helicopter services, rescue efforts continued on foot.“On Tuesday, a total of 231 pilgrims stranded at various locations were rescued despite adverse weather conditions. Helicopter services remained suspended due to heavy rainfall,” said Nandan Singh Rajwar, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer. “Four trained sniffer dogs, two each from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Indian Army relief teams, are assisting in locating devotees and travellers trapped in rocky terrains and inaccessible areas,”Rajwar added. About 150 local residents were escorted from Kedarnath to Bhimbali by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF personnel. “Five SDRF teams comprising 60 personnel are currently deployed in Kedarghati for relief and search operations. As of Tuesday, a total of 12,006 pilgrims have been safely evacuated over the past six days,” SDRF commandant Manikant Mishra said.Additionally, an SDRF team conducted a drone-based search operation covering a 5-kilometer area along the Kedarnath pedestrian path. The SDRF team retrieved the body of a pilgrim from under the debris in Lincholi. The deceased, Gautam (28), a resident of Yamunanagar in Haryana, was found on Monday, taking the number of bodies recovered to four.
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