NEW DELHI: Recurring landslides and rock felling en route to Kedarnath have killed five tourists from Madhya Pradesh and one each from Gujarat and Nepal.
So far, 20 persons, mostly tourists have died due to landslides and rock felling in Kedar Valley after July 31 heavy rains and cloudburst that killed 15 tourists and left several missing.
Officials from the Rudraprayag district Disaster Management Department informed that the five tourists were trapped under falling rocks and a landslide between Sonprayag and Gaurikund on Monday (Sept 9) night.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescuers were able to save the lives of three other tourists from the debris.
All three were taken to a nearby hospital for medical aid. The SDRF men recovered the bodies of tourists late on Monday night while the remaining four were found on Tuesday night.
The deceased tourists were identified as 50 years old Gopal, Saman Bai and Durga Bai Khapar from the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, Niralal, 52, from Surat Gujarat, and 70 years old Titali Devi from Nepal.
The Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Nandan Singh Rajwar informed that the area between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is witnessing recurring landslides and rock felling almost daily after more than 150 meters of the national highway was washed away on the July 31 rain disaster leading to several deaths.
He said after July 31, travel between Sonprayag and Gaurikund has become life-threatening even as every step is being taken to stop the pilgrims and tourists from going ahead in the night but their reluctance at times proves detrimental.
Rajwar claimed tourists are often warned against traveling after sunset but they disregard the advisory.
According to Rajwar, the deceased tourists were trapped under a landslide on Sept 9 as they continued their travel despite bad weather warnings by the administration.
The DDMO informed that so far, nearly 20 persons have died after being buried under recurring landslides and rock felling on the Kedarnath route since the July 31 rain catastrophe.
Meanwhile, after the incident on Monday, the Rudraprayag district administration has decided to encore its directives to prevent tourist from travelling in the evening strictly.
Additional District Magistrate Shyam Singh Rana ordered the local administration and security forces to be more vigilant and stop all tourists at identified safe places during rains in accordance to the weather forecast and warning. - The Statesman/ANN
