Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, June 19, 2025:
Police confirmed that a sudden landslide struck the Kedarnath pilgrimage route near Jungle Chatti on Wednesday, tragically killing two laborers from Jammu and Kashmir and injuring three more. At approximately 11.20 a.m., the hillside collapsed, sending stones and debris into the gorge below.
The victims, Nitin Kumar and Chandrashekhar, palanquin carriers from Doda district, were carrying a female pilgrim. According to Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police Akshay Prahlad Konde, the carriers and pilgrims were taken by surprise when a section of the hill collapsed close to the Jungle Chatti stream. They plunged into a ravine. She suffered minor injuries, but the two of them died," SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi confirmed.
A pilgrim from Bhavnagar, Gujarat, and two other laborers were injured in the incident. Two of the injured were reportedly in critical condition when they were airlifted to a nearby medical facility. With the help of the local villagers, police and SDRF rescue teams carried out a quick and difficult operation to get to the victims. They hauled the bodies and injured people out of the gorge using ropes and improvised tools.
The Rudraprayag police issued a warning to pilgrims walking after the tragedy to "exercise extra caution" and only proceed after consulting weather forecasts. Due to the possibility of afternoon showers, an official advisory advised travelers to refrain from beginning treks beyond Gaurikund later in the day.
Although the Kedarnath trekking season is well underway, the intense monsoon rains have raised the risk. Its vulnerability was highlighted last year when a section close to the same Jungle Chatti area washed away. Trekking to Kedarnath Dham is still possible, according to local authorities, but with stricter safety regulations. According to reports, officials have been instructed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to reevaluate risk areas and strengthen early warning systems along the route.
Experienced in negotiating the treacherous terrain, villagers and guides have been called upon to help rescue crews and warn pilgrims. Their work has been essential in getting to the impacted areas as soon as possible. This catastrophe is the most recent in a string of monsoon related mishaps in the Himalayas that have taken many lives this season.
Officials are still evaluating the route as rescue efforts come to an end in order to protect the thousands of pilgrims who are anticipated in the upcoming weeks.
