Pilgrims trek to a safer place under the guidance of Uttarakhand DDRF in view of a possible landslide along the Kedarnath route. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
Forty trekkers and expedition members stranded at the high-altitude Kalindi Pass Base and Auden’s Col Base in Uttarkashi were safely evacuated on Monday (September 28, 2026). Officials said many people remained stranded in Uttarkashi and Bageshwar, with bad weather hampering rescue.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said around 179 trekkers and expedition members were stranded at high-altitude routes and expedition sites in the two districts before the bad weather alert reached them.
The groups were spread across Mt. Sudarshan, Mt. Bhagirathi-II, Mt. Jogin-I, Mt. Shivling, Mt. Satopanth and Shrikhanth Peak, besides trekking routes such as Kalindi Pass and Auden’s Col. Six foreign nationals are among those reported stranded.
Eight helicopters deployed
“Of the 179, 40 people in Bageshwar are safe and need no evacuation. Apart from this, 40 people were rescued on Monday,” Mr. Suman said. He added that 20 trekkers were expected to reach designated points from where they would walk back to base by Tuesday, while 40 wanted to continue their expeditions.
The remaining trekkers will be evacuated when weather conditions permit, with the operation scheduled to resume at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Eight helicopters have been deployed and a helicopter ambulance has been kept on standby.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the operation at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Dehradun and directed officials to prioritise the safety of trekkers and ensure coordination among rescue agencies.
Continuous rain across Uttarakhand since Saturday night has disrupted road connectivity and triggered landslides. More than 112 roads were blocked on Monday, while falling boulders on the Kedarnath route brought the yatra to a halt.
Published – September 28, 2026 11:50 am IST
