Landslide in Rudraprayag:A major landslide triggered by heavy monsoon rains has forced authorities to suspend the Char Dham Yatra to Kedarnath. The incident occurred late Tuesday night near the Munkatiya sliding zone—1.5 km from Gaurikund towards Sonprayag on NH‑107—when a substantial portion of the hillside collapsed, burying a 50–70 metre stretch of road under debris, rendering it impassable for both vehicles and pilgrims.
Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde confirmed the Yatra has been suspended for 2–3 days as cleanup and road restoration efforts are underway. Officials urged pilgrims planning to visit Kedarnath to postpone their journeys until the route is declared safe.
Massive Rescue Operation
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), BRO, PWD, and local police coordinated an extensive rescue operation. Over 1,400 pilgrims stranded near the site were escorted via alternative forest trails and makeshift routes to safety in Sonprayag before dark . Times of India reported more than 2,000 pilgrims were rescued in total.
Alternative Arrangements and Ongoing Restoration
Authorities have constructed temporary forest detours and activated manual trolley systems at Uddhank to facilitate limited pedestrian movement in nearby areas, particularly across the Morskund River on the Gaurikund–Madmaheshwar track. However, the damage to these routes further complicates travel logistics .
Engineers and road crews, hindered by continuing rain and the risk of additional rockfalls, have deployed JCB machines and manual labor to clear boulders. However, operations were suspended intermittently due to falling debris and reduced visibility.
Broader Rain and Landslide Threat
Rudraprayag has received over 16 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours alone. The region is among several in Uttarakhand under yellow IMD alerts for heavy rain until August 4.
This incident marks the second suspension of the Kedarnath Yatra this monsoon season due to slope failures and cloudburst events. Over 94 roads across Uttarakhand—including national and state highways—remain blocked due to monsoon-related disruptions.
Safety and Forward Actions
District officials have urged pilgrims to access other local spiritual sites or wait until conditions improve. They emphasized caution and advised following official updates from the Rudraprayag Police social media cell.
The State Emergency Operations Centre states that the route is likely to be cleared within 2–3 days, after which the Kedarnath shrine yatra will resume under monitored conditions