Char Dham 2023: Kedarnath Yatra halted for today amid incessant snowfall, orange alert | DETAILS
Kedarnath Yatra update: The registrations are being done only for Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham at the passenger registration centre located in Rishikesh, the District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said.
Kedarnath Yatra update: The Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand has been halted for today (May 3) in the wake of incessant snowfall, officials said on Tuesday (May 2). Kedarnath Dham is one of the Char Dhams in the state. An orange alert has also been issued in the region. The registration of pilgrims for Kedarnath has also been suspended till May 3, 2023, the district administration said.
“Due to bad weather and snowfall in Kedarnath, the registration of pilgrims for Kedarnath has been stopped till tomorrow May 3. The decision regarding registration will be taken keeping in view the weather conditions,” Mayur Dixit, Rudraprayag District Magistrate (DM) said.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: Amid the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, Kedarnath reels under another spell of snowfall. pic.twitter.com/gysNc2Ru6f
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) May 2, 2023
Meanwhile, the registrations are being done only for Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham at the passenger registration centre located in Rishikesh, the District Magistrate added.
On Monday (May 1), the Meteorological Department issued an alert of rain and snowfall in the high Himalayan regions for the next 2-3 days. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Mayur Dixit said that an appeal has been made for the safety of the pilgrims coming to visit Kedarnath Dham.
Weather updates:
The MeT Department had forecast similar weather for the high-altitude temples in Uttarakhand till May 4 and advised the pilgrims, especially the ones bound for Kedarnath, to stay where they were and proceed on their onward journey only after the weather improved.
“Yatra to Kedarnath has been put on hold till tomorrow for the safety of pilgrims in view of the MeT Department alert of heavy rains and snow in parts of the state,” Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said on Tuesday.
The pilgrims have been asked to wait in Gaurikund and Sonprayag till the weather improves and they can resume their journey, he said. Pilgrims visiting Kedarnath and other Himalayan temples in Uttarakhand have been advised to take precautions as bad weather persisted in the region on Tuesday, officials said.
Uttarakhand DGP on Kedarnath Yatra:
DGP Ashok Kumar visited Kedarnath to take stock of the situation and appealed to pilgrims, especially those with heart ailments, to take necessary precautions.
Citing that oxygen pressure at such heights of over 11,000 feet can decrease amid the continuous snowfall, Kumar advised all pilgrims to remain careful. “Those who have heart diseases should bring their medicines with them so that they don’t face any problem,” he added.
Snowfall continued in Kedarnath and intermittent rains battered Gangotri and Yamunotri on Tuesday. Pilgrims visiting Gangotri and Yamunotri have been asked to stay alert even as their yatra remains uninterrupted, Uttarkashi Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal said.
When Kedarnath Yatra commenced:
Earlier on April 25 the day the doors of Kedarnath Dham opened, the Uttarakhand government stopped accepting registration applications from pilgrims for the Kedarnath Dham Yatra in view of heavy snowfall on the pilgrimage route and a warning of inclement weather by the Met Department.
The Kedarnath temple is one of the most revered temples in the country dedicated to Lord Shiva and people from across the country visit the temple during the six months when the temple is open. The Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimages in India. This pilgrimage is a tour of four holy sites- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri- nestled high up in the Himalayas.
(With agency’s inputs)
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