Bihar Minister trapped in Avalanche at Kedarnath, Security Guards Missing

Erstwhile Minister of Health Department in Bihar , Ashwini Chowbey has been  trapped in an Avalanche and Land Slide at Kedarnath. While he and his family are safe, his Security Guards, his Assistant  and a local Priest are missing.

kedarnath temple

The Famous Kedarnath Temple

As per reports, the two grand children of Mr. Chowbey were getting drowned in the Mandakini river, but timely intervention by some family members saved their lives.

The Land slide started at around 8:15 PM on Sunday night and within minutes it destroyed the section of Sahara Guest House in which Chowbey was staying. Reports say that Chowbey and his family have taken shelter in the Garbhagriha or Inner Sanctorum of the holy temple of Kedarnath.

Landslides were reported from over 12 places on the Rishikesh-Gangotri, the Dehradun-Yamnotri, the Rishikesh-Badrinath and the Rishikesh-Kedarnath National Highway. Yatra had begun on June 13.

Six hanging bridges built on Alaknada and Mandakini rivers in Chamoli and Rudrapryag districts were also reported to have collapsed on Sunday.

About 12,000 tourists and pilgrims on their way to Chardham Yatra are stranded on these routes.

Bad Weather and Avalanche of this type are very common in places like Kedarnath, which remains shutdown for 6 months every year due to to inaccessibility.

Kedarnath township is situated on a glacial outwash plain. Channels of Mandakini River originate from Chaurabari and Companion glaciers and encircle this plain to meet below the township.

The amphitheatre at Kedarnath many times creates a wind tunnel, raising cyclonic winds. Wind activity results in cornices and slabs. These slabs lead to slab avalanches. Windborne avalanches are often quite destructive. One such avalanche had uprooted micro-hydel generating unit and damaged the Bharat Sewashram building.