A vehicle carrying eight people plunged into the Alaknanda river near Devprayag in Uttarakhand, leaving several people dead and missing.
The accident occurred on the Badrinath National Highway as the vehicle was traveling toward Haridwar. The incident highlights the persistent dangers of navigating the steep, mountainous terrain of the Tehri Garhwal district, where road accidents often result in high casualty rates due to the depth of the gorges.
State Disaster Response Force rescuers launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the occupants of the Innova car [1]. The vehicle fell into the river and gorge, complicating the efforts to recover victims from the water [2].
Reports on the casualty count vary between sources. The Tribune India said that two people died and five remain missing [2]. However, another report via MSN said that three people died and four are missing [3].
Rescue teams continue to search the riverbed and surrounding areas to find the remaining passengers [1]. The exact cause of the plunge has not been officially confirmed, though the vehicle was traversing one of the region's primary transit arteries [2].
“A vehicle carrying eight people plunged into the Alaknanda river near Devprayag”
This accident underscores the volatility of the Badrinath National Highway, a critical route for pilgrims and tourists. The discrepancy in casualty reports suggests a chaotic recovery phase, which is common in high-velocity river accidents in the Himalayas where current and terrain hinder immediate verification of victims.
