Flash Flood Tragedy Strikes Near Kedarnath: Four Lives Lost, Nine Missing
Srishti Singh
Uttrakhand, 5th August 2023: A flash flood in a rainfed waterfall near Daat Puliya, close to Gaurikund on the way to Kedarnath, resulted in the loss of four lives, while nine people are reported missing. The incident occurred when the floodwaters swept away three shops located near the banks of the Mandakini River following heavy rains on Friday midnight.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promptly visited the Disaster Control room at the secretariat to assess the situation and urged the authorities to expedite the ongoing relief and rescue operations. He also instructed issuing alerts in areas at risk of flooding due to rising water levels in rivers and streams and directed the evacuation of people living in landslide-prone regions.
As of now, four bodies have been recovered, and the search for the missing individuals is currently underway. Among those missing are a family of ‘dandi-kandi’ operators from Nepal, who were engaged in ferrying pilgrims to the Himalayan temple.
Gaurikund, located around 16 km from the Himalayan temple, has been the focal point of relief and rescue operations conducted by the combined efforts of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel. Regrettably, these operations are facing challenges due to persistent heavy rains and frequent rockfall from the hillsides.
Earlier, the administration released a list of missing individuals, which included those who unfortunately lost their lives in this tragic incident. The names of the missing persons have been identified and shared by officials.
