Following incessant rainfall in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, the Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) is blocked due to falling of boulders and debris from the hill, on highway near Pipalkotim, officials said on July 13 morning.
The same highway got at other several other places including Pagalnala, Gulabkoti and Helang following the landslides taking place in the region as rains continues. Taking precautionary measures Chamoli district administration has stopped pilgrims at safer places like Gauchar, Karnprayag, and Nandprayag.
As an intense spell of monsoon rain continued over the northwestern Himalayan region numerous roads were blocked, and several people were stuck due to landslides.
Amid all this, people were also risking their lives and trying to cross dangerous stretches.
In Dharali on the Gangotri Highway, drivers of big vehicles are risking their lives while trying to commute on the highway. The State Disaster Operation Center located in the State Secretariat is keeping an eye on the state in view of the alerts of the Meteorological Department, officials said.
On July 12, the Kedarnath Yatra was stopped at Uttarakhand’s Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to continuous heavy rains.
In view of the safety of the passengers, the district administration stopped the passengers at Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to continuous bad weather. Due to rain, four state roads and ten link roads are closed due to debris. Due to heavy rains, Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers are in spate, as per the official statement.
Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for July 12 on July 10.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the State administration is on full alert mode in view of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) heavy rainfall alert in the region.
Talking about the precautionary arrangement made in the State, Chief Minister Dhami said, “Every year during monsoon time here, we have to face natural calamities. There are landslides due to excessive precipitation, and the water level of the rivers increases. We are in full alert mode. All the officials of the district administration and those in our disaster management are doing their work. All of them have been asked to stay in alert mode to face any situation. Our other organisations are also working on this. NDRF, Army, and our PWD department are all ready to face any situation, and we are constantly in touch with the people to help them in any situation.” The chief minister further said that the administration has requested all Chardham Yatra pilgrims to be on alert and initiate their Yatra only after taking note of the weather.
Further, the Chief Minister said that the administration has requested all Chardham Yatra pilgrims to be on alert and initiate their Yatra only after taking note of the weather.
(with inputs from ANI)
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