At least 24 killed in India's Himalayan states as heavy rain causes landslides

More than 4,000 people are stranded along mountain path to Hindu pilgrimage site

National Disaster Response Force personnel assess the damage to a road amid an attempt to rescue stranded pilgrims in Kedarnath. AFP

At least 24 people have been killed at a Himalayan pilgrim site after heavy rain lashed India’s northern Himalayan states, causing landslides, with the death toll in southern Kerala state landslide crossing 300.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 4,000 stranded after a brief but intense storm in Bhim Bali, along a mountain path to Kedarnath on Thursday, officials in Uttarakhand state and local media reported.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, eight people died after similar storms were reported in the districts of Shimla, Mandi and Kullu. Search operations have resumed to find 49 missing people this morning.

The storms caused flash floods along rivers, while roads were inundated and a major bridge was washed away.

Emergency workers, including National Disaster Response Force teams, were involved in the rescue operations.

Air Force helicopters were also used on rescue missions.

“Fifteen NDRF teams show remarkable dedication and professionalism in the ongoing rescue operations at Bheembali in Kedarnath, safely evacuating 6148 pilgrims so far,” the NDRF said on X.

“The efforts continue to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Authorities have suspended the Kedarnath pilgrimage for at least three days due to damaged roads, with three national motorways and 450 other roads closed in the state.

Kedarnath is one of the most prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites. The snow-covered town is nestled in a steep valley in northern Uttarakhand, and pilgrims have to travel on treacherous mountain paths to reach the temple.

The scenic northern Himalayan states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have several tourist attractions and are home to religious sites, with tens of thousands visiting the region all year round.

However, the ecologically sensitive region has borne the brunt of climate change and rampant construction.

Uttarakhand has been hit by disasters, including deadly floods in 2013 – one of the country's worst natural disasters – that devastated Kedarnath, killing more than 5,700 people.

A glacial lake burst in 2021 and triggered a flash flood at the construction site of hydroelectric power plant, killing at least 200.

At least 400 people were killed last year in Himachal Pradesh, which received 742mm of rainfall in the first 54 days of monsoon season, according to the country's weather department.

More than 10 districts were heavily damaged in the mountainous state lined with pine trees, valleys, gorges and rivers flowing from the Himalayas.

In the southern state of Kerala, rescue work continued for a fourth day after a landslide hit Wayanad.

The hilly resort town in the Western Ghats mountain range was pummelled by two landslides in Choral Mala and Mundakkai on Tuesday morning, leaving a trail of destruction after houses were swept away and several people went missing.

More than 300 bodies have been recovered but in excess of 250 people remain missing.

At least 50 bodies were found downstream along the Chaliyar river in neighbouring Malappuram district after they were washed away.

Rescue workers used rafts to find more bodies or survivors but they have struggled of late after the course of river changed.

Most of the victims were plantation workers and lived in small houses built at the base of tea estates.

Hundreds of people are still feared trapped under debris in Mundakkai after a bridge linking it to Chooral Mala was swept away in a torrent of flood waters.

NDRF teams, firefighters, police and army, air force and civil defence personnel are involved in a joint rescue and search operation.

The Indian Army rescued four people – two men and two women – who were stranded since Tuesday.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill expressed their condolences after the deadly landslides in Kerala.

“Our prayers are with the victims of this tragic event, and we mourn with the families who have lost loved ones,” Mr Biden said.

“We commend the bravery of the Indian service members and first responders supporting the complex recovery effort. We will continue to hold the people of India in our thoughts during this difficult time.”