Haridwar: The monsoon that hit North India early is continuing to wreak havoc in Uttarakhand, killing more than 100 people and leaving over 70,000 tourists and pilgrims stranded. The death toll is expected to rise with 500 people still missing.
The famous Kedarnath shrine has suffered damage after it was almost completely submerged by floods and mudslides, while shops and houses around it have been razed to the ground. More than 50 people have lost their lives in the flooding at Kedarnath and over 6,000 pilgrims were stranded out of which 800 have been rescued and are at Kedarnath Phata.
Some of the pilgrims who returned from the shrine after being stranded there for two days said that Kedarnathpuri has been totally damaged by the flood. Barring the Kedarnath shrine and some of the structures adjoining it, most of the residential wings of the temple are damaged. Bodies of pilgrims are lying in debris of damaged houses, the pilgrims said.
A high alert has been issued in Uttar Pradesh following heavy rainfall across the state and the release of water by several barrages in the past 24 hours.
