Kedarnath Yatra halted as heavy rains prompt orange alert; pilgrims asked to return

The temperature in Kedarnath dropped on Monday due to snowfall, as per authorities

FP Staff|May 23, 2022, 23:01:05 IST

The Kedarnath Yatra has been halted as heavy rains wrecked havoc in Uttarakhand on Monday, as per authorities. An orange alert has also been issued in the state.

According to a report by Indian Express, due to rough weather conditions, the pilgrims walking their way up to the Kedarnath shrine were stopped and asked to return to their hotels. Helicopter services have also been discontinued as of now.“After the orange alert and incessant rain since morning, we have stopped devotees on foot and have been urging them to return to their hotels… Do not hike to the temple for now and stay safe,” news agency ANI quoted Rudraprayag CO Pramod Kumar as saying. “An orange alert is on for tomorrow as well. We have stopped around 5,000 people from Guptkashi. Heli services are also closed for now,” Kumar added.According to the weather department, an extra-tropical weather system approaching from north Pakistan led to formation of rain-bearing clouds that brought showers to parts of Uttarakhand, along with Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh early on Monday. Several places in Uttarakhand also experienced thunderstorms, Indian Express said in a report.According to the report by ANI, authorities said that the temperature in Kedarnath dropped on Monday due to snowfall. There was extreme cold in the area. The snowfall had started last evening and people were seen taking refuge under umbrellas. Reportedly, the hills around Baba Kedarnath temple looked white and unstained due to snowfall. Despite the bitter cold, a large number of pilgrims were present for darshan on Monday.The Chardham yatra began with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri portals for devotees on 3 May, on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. While Kedarnath re-opened on 6 May, the doors of Badrinath opened on 8 May, ANI said.With input from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

J&K cop on Amarnath Yatra duty shot dead in Anantnag terror attack; TRF claims responsibility

The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack through a social media post

2 min read

Jaishankar meets Canada's Anita Anand, discusses bilateral cooperation and shared interests

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held talks on bilateral ties with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, focusing on cooperation and common goals.

1 min read

Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad... Neet paper leak protest spreads nationwide even as govt reaches out to CJP, Opposition

Protests over the alleged NEET paper leak intensified across multiple cities, while the Centre signalled talks with the Opposition and the Cockroach Janta Party. The Delhi High Court also stepped in, seeking preservation of CCTV footage related to police action.

3 min read

Why is India seeing 95% cloud cover despite a Super El Niño?

India is witnessing nearly 95 per cent cloud cover despite a Super El Niño, a climate event usually linked to weaker monsoons. Regional weather systems, cyclonic circulations, the monsoon trough and moisture from two seas are temporarily overpowering one of the world's strongest climate phenomena

5 min read

Jaishankar, Rubio review trade, defence, AI cooperation at Manila meeting

Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reviewed key pillars of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade, defence, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence, while also exchanging views on regional and global developments.