Over 50 pilgrims rescued as river rose at Champawat gurdwara
India
On Sunday, more than 50 pilgrims were saved by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) after sudden heavy rains caused river levels to rise at Sri Reetha Sahib Gurdwara in Champawat.
The devotees, caught while bathing during the annual Jod Mela, found themselves trapped as water surged unexpectedly.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduwanshi emphasized preparedness
Luckily, the SDRF team was already on site and jumped into action right away.
They got everyone out safely, moved stranded vehicles from the riverbed, and teamed up with local police to block off risky areas.
SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduwanshi emphasized that being prepared ahead of time is crucial, especially since Uttarakhand's been seeing nonstop rain lately.