DEHRA DUN, July 6, 2004: At least 17 persons were killed and 28 injured when three vehicles were swept into Alaknanda river by heavy landslides triggered by a cloudburst that left nearly 5,000 pilgrims stranded near Badrinath shrine area in Uttaranchal’s Chamoli district, police sources said here. According to second report in The Hindu, the pilgrimage was today suspended for 20 days after a long stretch of Govindghat- Badrinath highway was washed away due to landslides and floods. Steps were being taken to evacuate the stranded pilgrims from the shrine area, the Chief Secretary said, adding all pilgrims proceeding towards Badrinath shrine were being told to return home. However, the pilgrimage to other centres like Hemkund Sahib and Kedarnath would continue, he added.
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