Dehradun, May 14:

At least 38 pilgrims have died due to health-related complications during the first 26 days of the ongoing Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, officials said on Thursday.

The annual pilgrimage began on April 19 with the opening of the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines, while the doors of Kedarnath and Badrinath temples were opened for devotees on April 22 and 23 respectively.

According to a report issued by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Kedarnath recorded the highest number of fatalities with 21 deaths. Badrinath reported seven deaths, while Gangotri and Yamunotri witnessed five deaths each.

Officials stated that the deaths occurred due to various health issues, including altitude sickness, breathing problems, and cardiac arrest.

Despite the challenging conditions, the pilgrimage has witnessed a massive turnout this year. More than 11.81 lakh devotees have visited the four shrines so far. Kedarnath recorded the highest footfall with 4.91 lakh pilgrims, followed by Badrinath with over 3.02 lakh visitors. Yamunotri and Gangotri received 1.94 lakh and 1.92 lakh devotees respectively.

Meanwhile, registrations for the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib Yatra have crossed 33.96 lakh. Kedarnath received the highest registrations at 11.68 lakh, followed by Badrinath with 10.19 lakh registrations.

Authorities have advised pilgrims, especially elderly people and those suffering from chronic illnesses, to undergo proper medical check-ups before undertaking the high-altitude pilgrimage.