India, May 21 -- More than 10,000 pilgrims stranded on the Kedarnath route in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district were safely rescued after a massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall blocked the main highway, officials said on Thursday.

According to officials, the landslide struck the Munkatiya area between Sonprayag and Gaurikund late Tuesday night following intense rain in the region. The debris blocked the key route, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded.

The situation became increasingly challenging due to continuous rockfalls, heavy rain, darkness and difficult mountainous terrain, posing a serious risk to travellers.

The District Control Room (DCR) in Rudraprayag alerted the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at around 9:1...