A huge avalanche struck the mountains behind Uttarakhand’s revered Kedarnath Dham in the Rudraprayag district on Sunday morning, according to PTI reports, raising concerns for the safety of thousands of Hindu pilgrims currently undertaking the Char Dham yatra. The avalanche, captured on video by eyewitnesses, occurred around 5:30 am near the Gandhi Sarovar region, approximately 4 kilometres above the Kedarnath shrine. The footage depicts a massive mass of snow and debris cascading down the mountain slopes.
Fortunately, no casualties or damage to property have been reported thus far. The holy shrine of Kedarnath has experienced an unprecedented influx of devotees this year, with over 600,000 pilgrims visiting since its doors opened on May 10, as announced by the Uttarakhand government earlier this month.
Situated at an elevation of 3,500 metres amidst the majestic Himalayas, Kedarnath has been adorned with flowers and holy leaves to welcome the surging crowds of pilgrims. The Char Dham yatra, encompassing visits to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, persists despite the region’s harsh climatic conditions, with temperatures ranging from 0 to 3 degrees Celsius during the day and dropping below freezing at night.
Avalanches, such as the one near Kedarnath, are common in mountainous regions like the Himalayas, characterized by steep slopes and accumulations of snow. They can reach speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour and exert tremendous force, ranging in size from small slides to massive flows of snow, ice, rocks, and debris that pose significant risks to life and property.
The pilgrimage continues amid these challenges, underscoring the devotion and resilience of the pilgrims despite the natural hazards inherent to the Himalayan terrain.