Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand): A temporary bridge constructed to expedite rescue operations at Sonprayag in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, was washed away by the waters of swollen Mandakini river on Tuesday night while many people narrowly escaped a disaster as the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by stones that fell from the hilltop near Kameda Gauchar on the Badrinath highway.
Heavy downpour has been causing havoc in the district for the last few days and the Kedarnath trek route has also been badly damaged. In order to evacuate the stranded pilgrims, the Indian Army had built two temporary bridges at Sonprayag. Of which, one bridge was washed away last night after the water levels of Mandakini river rose due to the incessant rains.
Also, a major accident happened near Gauchar-Kameda on the Badrinath highway, where stones rained down from a hilltop on a vehicle passing through this route. The passengers of the vehicle made a narrow escape after they managed to run away from the spot.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said it has been raining heavily and all are requested to travel with caution.
Notably, several pilgrims were trapped on the trekking route to Kedarnath following a cloudburst that struck the state last week. Many people were evacuated while efforts are on to repair the damaged roads.
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U'khand: Operation to Rescue Stranded Kedarnath Pilgrims Enters Third Day; Over 10,500 Evacuated
