Kedarnath Yatra resumes after landslide blocks trek route; IMD issues alert

Kedarnath Yatra Restarted After Landslide Disruption

Bharatmorningnews.com – The annual pilgrimage to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand resumed on Friday afternoon after a five-hour suspension due to a landslide triggered by rain and boulder falls near the Chirbasa helipad. While foot pilgrims were permitted to continue, mule and horse transport remained halted as authorities worked to clear the affected path amid ongoing rain warnings.

Incident Details and Response

A significant landslide struck around 6:30 a.m., when heavy rainfall had weakened the slopes, causing large rocks to crash onto the trail leading to the shrine. The route was reopened for pedestrians approximately four hours later, around 1 p.m., after debris removal efforts. “The yatra was paused when boulders blocked the trail at 6:30 a.m., but the PWD team managed to restore access by 1 p.m.,” stated Sunil Singh Rawat, an executive engineer from the PWD Guptkashi division.

“We anticipate the route to be fully operational by Saturday as cleanup operations continue,” he added.

Separately, a rockslide near Gaurikund on the same route prompted temporary movement stops earlier that morning. “Boulders slid onto the road early, but heavy machinery cleared the obstruction quickly, allowing the yatra to proceed without interruption,” noted Prerna Jaguri, an executive engineer in the National Highways PWD division.

Regional Road Conditions and Weather Outlook

Elsewhere, vehicular traffic on the Yamunotri Highway near Sayana Chatti was restored following debris clearance. District disaster management officials confirmed that services and movement had normalized after the impacted section was reopened.

Uttarkashi District Magistrate Prashant Arya highlighted the administration’s readiness to safeguard both the Char Dham pilgrims and local residents while maintaining essential services. Monsoon activity showed steady patterns across the state, with light to moderate rain in most areas and heavy downpours in isolated spots.

The State Emergency Operations Centre reported 49 roads remained closed in Uttarakhand as of Friday evening. Pithoragarh had 19 blocked roads, while Chamoli, Bageshwar, and Pauri districts each faced five closures. Dehradun saw three blocked roads, and Rudraprayag had two.

IMD Alert for Saturday

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has activated an orange alert for Saturday, predicting heavy rainfall in Dehradun, Champawat, Nainital, and Bageshwar districts. Weather forecasts warn of severe thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain showers in these regions. Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Udham Singh Nagar, and Pithoragarh are also under risk for heavy precipitation, while other districts may see thunderstorms accompanied by lightning.