Taking into account the number of the dead and those missing, the government may officially announce the death of between 5500 and 6000 people on Monday.
The maximum number of death and missing are from the Kedarnath-Rambara-Gaurikund axis. The hamlet of Rambara was washed away completely by the sludge and debris that the swollen Mandakini River brought down from Kedarnath on June 16-17. The 14-kilometre-long stretch still remains strewn with decomposing bodies, reports said.
Amid the devastation, a flame of hope still flickers on in the hearts of some distraught relatives who are conducting a door to door search for their loved ones in Kedar valley area.
Their prolonged wait has failed to dampen their hopes of reuniting with their loved ones alive. Holding the pictures of their missing family members and friends in their hands, they are searching for them from door to door in villages of valley.
Meanwhile, efforts are on by the Army to open an alternate land route for pilgrims into Kedarnath. However, the new route from Sonprayag to Kedarnath via Vasuki Taal is said to be too treacherous for normal pilgrims.
Also, the government may start an Amarnath yatra type arrangement for the Char Dham yatra where the number of pilgrims would be restricted to a set number every year.
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