Eight dead in landslide on Kedarnath highway

Eight persons travelling on two motorcycles and a four wheeler have been killed after coming under the rubble of a landslide at Chandikadhar in Rudraprayag district, police said on Sunday.

The accident happened late on Saturday night when a heavy boulder fell along with the rubble of a landslide on the vehicles sweeping them into a 500 metre deep gorge, a police official said.

Five persons died on the spot, while three others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, Rudraprayag police circle officer Ganesh Koli said.

Four bodies have so far been recovered from the debris and efforts are underway to pull out the fifth, he said.

The boulder is hard and heavy rock cutting equipment is being used to break it to recover the fifth body.

The vehicles were on their way to Rudraprayag from Sonprayag at the time of the mishap.

Three victims have been identified, of whom one hailed from Rudraprayag and the two others from Rishikesh.

Governor Baby Rani Maurya and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat have expressed grief at the loss of lives in the accident.