Tragedy in Chamoli: Landslide Claims Lives of Two Hyderabad Tourists

Two tourists from Hyderabad, Nirmal Shahi and Satya Narayana, died in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, after their motorcycle was struck by boulders from a landslide. Heavy rains have caused multiple landslides, blocking the Badrinath and Rudraprayag-Kedarnath highways. Authorities are working to clear the roads, and a red alert for heavy rain has been issued.

Two tourists from Hyderabad, Nirmal Shahi (36) and Satya Narayana (50), tragically lost their lives in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, after being struck by boulders during a landslide, police reported.

The incident took place on the Badrinath National Highway near Chatwapeepal between Gauchar and Karnaprayag. The victims were returning on a motorcycle from a visit to the Himalayan temple.

Heavy rains over recent days have triggered multiple landslides, leading to the blockage of the Badrinath National Highway and several other routes. Authorities and personnel from the National Highways Authority of India and Border Roads Organisation are working to clear the debris and reopen the roads. The Rudraprayag-Kedarnath highway has also been affected.

As a precaution, all government and private schools in Rudraprayag district were shut on Saturday. A red alert for ''heavy to very heavy rainfall'' has been issued by the meteorological department for both the Kumaon and Garhwal regions for the weekend, urging people to stay away from water bodies.

(With inputs from agencies.)