Uttarakhand Faces Disruption Due to Heavy Rainfall and Landslides
Severe Weather Conditions in Uttarakhand
Photo: IANS
Dehradun, September 1: Continuous rainfall in Uttarakhand has severely impacted daily life, leading to increased water levels in rivers and drains, landslides, and traffic disruptions across various regions of the state.
The Meteorological Department has predicted light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms for most areas in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. An Orange Alert has been issued for the districts of Dehradun and Tehri, indicating the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall. Additionally, a Yellow Alert has been declared for Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, and Haridwar.
Tragically, three family members lost their lives when their house collapsed in Vaduyya village, Almora district, due to the relentless rain. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning while the family was asleep.
The house collapsed suddenly under the weight of the continuous rainfall. Villagers, alerted by the loud noise and subsequent screams, rushed to the scene and notified the police and local authorities.
Emergency teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, revenue department, fire services, and disaster management quickly arrived at the site. A rescue operation commenced with the help of local residents.
Despite their efforts, the rescue teams were only able to retrieve the three victims from the debris after they had already succumbed to their injuries.
In Almora, the heavy rainfall over the past two days has disrupted normal activities, with roads affected in multiple areas and a high risk of landslides persisting in the hilly regions.
In Dehradun, the Rispana River's water level rose alarmingly near the bridge on Mohini Road in Dalanwala around 1 a.m., raising concerns among nearby residents due to the strong current.
Police have been conducting regular patrols in flood-prone areas and are closely monitoring rivers, drains, and other water bodies. Officials are keeping a vigilant eye on the situation due to the ongoing rainfall forecast.
The persistent rain also caused landslides along the Mussoorie-Dehradun route on Monday, disrupting traffic near Pani Wala Bend as debris, stones, and trees fell onto the road.
Authorities managed to clear the road and restore traffic flow. Another landslide occurred near Galogi Dhar, again affecting vehicular movement.
As a precautionary measure due to the adverse weather, all schools from Classes 1 to 12, along with Anganwadi centres, in Dehradun and Pithoragarh were closed on September 1.
In Uttarkashi, the Yamunotri Highway was completely blocked near Ranachatti due to falling debris and trees from the hillside. A team from the National Highways authorities arrived to clear the blockage, and traffic was restored after the debris was removed.
A landslide was also reported in Bageshwar, where debris obstructed the Garud-Bageshwar route near Rawaikhal, disrupting traffic in the area. Authorities are actively working to clear the affected roads and restore connectivity wherever feasible.