Pilgrims stranded in Uttarakhand
We are inching closer to the second anniversary of the tragic Uttarakhand cloudbursts and floods of June 2013, that led to about 5,800 reported deaths. The climatic traits remain unchanged. This year too, there is news of tourists stuck at Uttarakhand’s popular pilgrimage destinations - Kedarnath and Badrinath.
Travellers are sending out warning messages saying if anyone is planning to visit these areas, they had better defer their plan. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror from Joshimath in Uttarakhand district, Bengalurean Shobha HG said, “There is a massive landslide at Vishnu Prayag, around 11 km from Joshimath. The severity is such that we have been told that it will take at least a week to clear. This means all those tourists who have been at Badrinath need to be rescued at the earliest. On Thursday, I could see some of the tourists being evacuated via choppers from Badrinath to Joshimath.”
Each year, the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines are open only for a few months in summer. After the 2013 floods, the number of tourists has dipped.
Travellers are sending out warning messages saying if anyone is planning to visit these areas, they had better defer their plan. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror from Joshimath in Uttarakhand district, Bengalurean Shobha HG said, “There is a massive landslide at Vishnu Prayag, around 11 km from Joshimath. The severity is such that we have been told that it will take at least a week to clear. This means all those tourists who have been at Badrinath need to be rescued at the earliest. On Thursday, I could see some of the tourists being evacuated via choppers from Badrinath to Joshimath.”
Each year, the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines are open only for a few months in summer. After the 2013 floods, the number of tourists has dipped.
Shobha, who was travelling from Kedarnath to Badrinath said, “Many tourists believe they can cover the Kedarnath trek in a day. As it is a tough trek, they don’t carry any clothes with them leaving behind their entire luggage at Gaurikund. When they reach Kedarnath, they are literally drenched. The severe cold wave is making matters worse. As a new path has been carved out of the snow, the path remains slippery and has caused many travellers to fall and hurt themselves. Though the Indian army is doing an excellent job, I request the people to be prepared before the travel.”
