Gandhinagar, August 2 (IANS): A total of 17 Gujarati pilgrims from the Aravalli district, who went on a pilgrimage to the Kedarnath Dham, were rescued after they got stranded near Moti Lincholi in Uttarakhand due to heavy rain and landslides.

The pilgrims were caught in adverse weather conditions leading to landslides, which left them stranded.

"As soon as the information reached here, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel directed the Gujarat State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) to take immediate action for their safe evacuation," an official said, adding that Gujarat Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey coordinated with the Uttarakhand SEOC, providing all necessary details and contact numbers of the stranded pilgrims.

“The Uttarakhand SEOC, in consultation with the Rudraprayag district control room, launched a rescue mission. As soon as the weather cleared, the pilgrims were airlifted and safely transported to a secure location within a few hours.” the official added.

Due to a cloudburst in Kedarnath, parts of the footpath near Bhimbali were washed away. Officials shared that 15 NDRF teams began evacuating the stranded pilgrims between Sonprayag and Bhimbali, ensuring their safety by creating alternative paths amid challenging conditions.