In Rudraprayag, a rescue operation has been underway for four days to evacuate over 400 people stranded on the rain-damaged trek route to Kedarnath. As of Sunday, authorities have successfully airlifted more than 10,000 individuals to safety. Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that only 350 people remain in Kedarnath and 50 in Lincholi.
Dense clouds and adverse weather conditions have hindered air rescues. The Indian Air Force’s Chinook helicopter, deployed by the central government, has not been utilized, while the MI17 helicopter could only transport 60 people in three flights. To adapt, five smaller helicopters are now in operation. In the morning, around 400 people were transported from Kedarnath to Lincholi on foot and subsequently airlifted to Chardham and Sirsi helipads.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been using alternative routes for evacuations. By 5 pm Sunday, 2,622 people were airlifted from various points along the Kedarnath Yatra route, and 567 were transported on foot. Additionally, 7,185 people were moved from Gaurikund to Sonprayag. All pilgrims have been evacuated from Gaurikund, with only residents and service providers remaining.
Damage from a recent cloudburst has severely impacted the trek route, causing road washouts and landslides. The Army has begun constructing a footbridge between Sonprayag and Gaurikund, and a sniffer dog squad has been deployed to aid in the search.