Lord Shiva devotees or Kanwariyas at Har Ki Pauri Ghat amid heavy rainfall in Haridwar, Friday, July 7. (PTI photo)
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The Uttarakhand Police has issued an advisory asking travellers to avoid the hills as heavy rains lash the state, causing severe waterlogging and landslides on key highways. A red alert has been issued by the Inida Meteorological Department (IMD) for several districts in Uttarakhand amid the battering downpour.
National Highway (NH) 9 was blocked at a few points around the Tanakpur-Pithoragarh route on Monday morning, after the Kumaon region witnessed continuous showers. Efforts are underway to clear the NH 9 All Weather Road, news agency ANI reported.
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The Gangotri Highway is also obstructed at two places due to landslides, leaving some Kanwar Yatra pilgrims stranded. The road is unlikely to open today due to heavy debris falling at Bandarkot.
Traffic disruptions were also reported from the flooded areas of Lohaghat and Vikasnagar. A Himachal Pradesh Roadways bus moving towards Dehradun got stuck in an overflowing drain near Vikasnagar, ANI reported. Visuals from the site showed the passengers climbing atop the bus as its wheels sank into the swift flood underneath.
“Due to heavy rains in many areas of Uttarakhand state, there may be a danger of landslides on the hilly routes. Travelers are requested to avoid traveling to the mountains during this time unless absolutely necessary. Do not travel unnecessarily, stay at a safe place. For any assistance inform us on 112, we will get back to you,” Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar said in a statement on Monday morning.
The IMD has issued a ‘red’ alert in Chamoli, Pari Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Almora, Champawat, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar districts for July 11 and 12 as heavy rains are expected to continue in the state over the next few days.
On Sunday, three people died while six were rescued by the State Disaster Management Force (SDRF) after a vehicle going from Sonprayag to Rishikesh crashed into a deep ditch.
Further, Constable Chaman Tomar of the state police, who was posted in Dabarkot for Kanwar Yatra duty, died after a stone falling from a hill amid the heavy rain injured him seriously.
In view of increasing water level of river Ganga due to the incessant rain, the Tehri Police is patrolling the Kanwar Yatra route and alerting devotees through announcements made via loudspeakers.
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According to the Central Water Commission, Ganga’s water level was recorded at 291.74 meters in Haridwar at 10 am on Monday, slightly below the danger mark of 294 and the warning mark of 293.
“The water level is currently fairly below the danger level which is 293. The discharge is between 50 thousand-70 thousand. It is raining currently but there isn’t a danger situation. We are doing a 24-hour duty,” an official of the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department was quoted as saying.
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