Heavy rainfall leads to landslide, blockage of Badrinath NH; pilgrims stranded

The Badrinath national highway was blocked on Thursday following a landslide triggered by heavy rain near Chhinka in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, leaving hundreds of pilgrims stranded.

The stranded pilgrims included those on way to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib, officials said. A mound of debris accumulated on the road in the wake of the landslide near Chhinka blocking the national highway leading to Badrinath, they said.

It caused a huge traffic jam on the road leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, he said.

Efforts are on to clear the rubble and restore traffic along the route at the earliest, he said.

The Chamoli administration has distributed drinking water and snacks to the stranded pilgrims. Many places in Chamoli district had been lashed by heavy rains on Wednesday night.