Gaurikund landslide: No trace of missing people, search operations underway for fourth day

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7 (ANI): The police is yet to find any clue about the 20 people who went missing in the landslide at Gaurikund while the search operations are still  underway on the fourth day of the incident.   

“Due to heavy landslide near Gaurikund Datpulia, no clue could be found for the 20 missing people even on the fourth day,” the Rudraprayag Police said.

According to the Rudraprayag police, intensive search and rescue operation is going on continuously at the incident site and on the banks of the river. The concerned police stations, police posts, fire service and SDRF are conducting search and rescue operations in their respective areas by Agastyamuni, the police said.

Earlier on Sunday, while speaking to ANI, DGP Ashok Kumar said, “Three people have died and 20 people are still missing in a massive landslide that occurred on the Kedarnath Yatra route in Gaurikund.”

He further mentioned that a total of 17 people are of Nepali origin and are still missing after the landslide. “17 of the missing people are of Nepali origin. A search operation by the police is underway,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, Nepal Foreign Minister NP Saud requested the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami for speedy search and rescue of its citizens missing in a landslide in Gaurikund.

According to the Secretariat of Nepal, FM Saud made the request during a telephonic conversation with CM Dhami and urged for a speedy search and rescue of its nationals who went missing after they were swept away by a landslide that struck Gauri Kund town in Uttarakhand. 

Officials said that the landslide occurred 16 km before Kedarnath in Rudraprayag’s Gaurikund on Friday. “Two roadside shops and dhabas were washed away in the heavy debris that came down from the mountain,” an official statement said.