Group of 17 tourists stranded on Odisha’s Gandhamardan Hills amid torrential rain

In a dramatic turn of events, a group of 17 tourists found themselves stranded on the dense and slippery slopes of the Gandhamardan hills near Harishankar on Wednesday evening after losing their way while trekking. 

According to reports, the group had started their journey from the Harishankar foothills, intending to trek to the Nrusinghanath temple on the other side of the hill range.

However, midway through the journey, the group is believed to have lost direction near Kapildhara waterfall, approximately 1.5 kilometers from the marked trail. The situation worsened due to sudden torrential rainfall and the onset of darkness, making the trail difficult to navigate.

Mobile location tracking helped local authorities trace the approximate location of the stranded tourists. A rescue team comprising personnel from the Odisha Police, Fire Services, and local temple staff was immediately mobilized. 

Despite their swift response, the rescuers encountered major obstacles due to continuous rain, dense forest, and frequent lightning strikes.

Search and rescue operations resumed with renewed efforts after the rain subsided in the late hours of the night.

Till the last report came in, the stranded tourists had not been rescued.