Uttarakhand Landslides: Badrinath, Kedarnath Highways Remain Partially Closed

Gopeshwar: The Badrinath national highway was closed between Chamoli and Nandprayag for the second day on Saturday, with efforts underway to clear the debris brought down by landslides triggered by heavy rains.

Four labourers from Nepal were killed in a landslide in Rudraprayag district and one person was swept away in the Ganga in Haridwar district on Friday after heavy overnight rain in various parts of Uttarakhand.

National highways to Kedarnath and Yamunotri were also blocked by landslides.

The national highway leading to the Himalayan temple of Kedarnath is blocked for traffic due to debris at Pursari and Nandprayag between Chamoli and Karnaprayag, the District Disaster Management Centre here said.

The Badrinath national highway is open for traffic between Rishikesh and Nandprayag. Light vehicles are coming and going from Nandprayag to Chamoli using an alternate route but heavy vehicles are waiting for the road to reopen at Chamoli and Nandprayag, it said.

The Kedarnath highway is closed at Kund due to a damaged bridge between Rudraprayag and Guptkashi.

Vehicles are reaching Guptkashi through an alternate route, the Rudraprayag district disaster management centre said.

The road near Phata village, where the four labourers from Nepal were killed, has been reopened, it said.