Dehradun: Amid prediction of intense spells of rain in Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand, regional Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an orange alert for this district on Wednesday. Rest all the districts of Uttarakhand are on yellow alert for rains and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning in some parts. As landslides may occur due to intense rainfall, IMD has advised people to stay alert and take necessary precautions.
Isolated rainfall reported in Uttarakhand; thunderstorms and intense rain expected in some districts
Over the past 24 hours, isolated parts of Uttarakhand experienced light to moderate rainfall. The regional MET department has issued alerts, predicting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning or heavy rain in certain districts within the next 24 hours. The districts covered by the yellow alert include Nainital, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Dehradun, Tehri, and Pauri, Haridwar and Rudraprayag.
Impacts of intense rainfall in Uttarakhand
With an orange alert in place, rainfall ranging from 15 to 30 mm is expected in certain areas of Bageshwar. This could lead to flash flooding, particularly in low-lying regions and near rivers. In addition, the heavy rain or intense rainfall may trigger landslides, rockfalls, and mudslides at isolated locations. Apart from this, roads, highways, and bridges could be blocked or washed out due to landslides and rockfalls. Moreover, the intense rainfall may also cause an increase in water flow in rivulets and rainwater streams, potentially resulting in bank erosion.
Weather Advisory for Bageshwar and other districts
Pilgrims and tourists traveling to Char Dham or other locations are advised to remain alert and travel only if necessary. Besides, vigilance is recommended while traversing steep slopes. Moreover, people residing near major rivers, tributaries, rivulets, streams, low-lying areas, and flood plains should also remain alert.
Road blockages and decline in pilgrim visits due to heavy rainfall
Recent heavy rainfall in various parts of Uttarakhand has triggered landslides in the hills, resulting in the blockage of roads and highways. Resultantly, a total of 104 roads, including PWD roads, National highways, and PMGSY roads, are currently blocked due to landslides. The state emergency control room is actively working to clear these roadblocks.
Additionally, the adverse weather conditions and the cloudburst incident in Kedarnath on Wednesday night have led to a decline in the number of pilgrims visiting Char Dham as only 1466 pilgrims visited Badrinath, Gangotri received 1144 pilgrims and Yamunotri had 503 pilgrims on August 6.
