Dehradun: As the whole of Uttarakhand is reeling under the monsoon, the state is witnessing rains and thunderstorms accompanied with lightning in most of the parts. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Dehradun, has sounded a yellow alert for rains in all the districts on Wednesday.
Heavy rain is expected in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand on Wednesday. The Meteorological Center has issued a yellow alert for some parts of Dehradun, Nainital, and Bageshwar districts. Additionally, heavy rain is likely in areas of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pauri, Tehri, Champawat, and Pithoragarh districts.
Badrinath highway was blocked by debris at Pagal Nala
Due to rain on Sunday night in Chamoli district, the Badrinath highway was blocked by debris at Pagal Nala, Patalganga, Chhinka, Nandprayag, and other locations. As a result, around 2,000 pilgrims heading to Badrinath and Hemkund Sahib were stranded on Monday. The NHIDCL and BRO cleared the debris from the highway by around 12 noon, allowing smooth movement. However, due to excessive debris near Nandprayag, the highway remained impassable, and vehicles were rerouted via the Kothiyalsain-Sialkot bypass.
Apart from this, since late Sunday night, heavy rain has caused landslides, closing the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund highway and the Kedarnath trek route, leaving 400 passengers stranded. Additionally, helicopter services in the Kedar valley have been halted due to fog.
Weather forecast for today
The weather department forecasts light to moderate rain in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Pithoragarh, and Nainital today, with a heavy rain alert for Dehradun and Bageshwar. While heavy rain is expected in three districts, other hilly areas may experience moderate rain with thunder and lightning. The weather department predicts that this rainy spell will decrease in a few days, leading to clear weather across the state.
Precaution advised amid heavy rains in Uttarakhand
Due to ongoing heavy rains across Uttarakhand, there is an increased risk of rockfalls and mudslides in many areas. The intense rainfall can also lead to flooding and sudden surges in the water levels of rivulets, potentially causing bank erosion, overflow, and flash floods. Residents in landslide-prone areas should remain vigilant. Pilgrims and tourists traveling to Char Dham or other destinations in the state should stay alert and be cautious of steep slopes while on the move.
A total 172 roads are blocked in the state
On Tuesday, debris blocked 172 roads across the state. Despite frequent landslides severely impacting the All-weather Road, the number of pilgrims has risen over the past two days. Badrinath saw 3219 pilgrims, Kedarnath had 388, Gangotri welcomed 2014, and 1196 pilgrims visited the Yamunotri shrine.