Uttarakhand rivers near danger mark due to heavy rainfall; rains continue; highways blocked; check IMD prediction
Dehradun: Normal life in Uttarakhand has been disrupted by continuous heavy rainfall. Rising water levels in the rivers have created flood-like conditions; all rivers are flowing at or above the danger mark. Moderate to heavy rain has been occurring in most areas since Thursday morning. The Badrinath route has also been blocked.
Badrinath National Highway blocked
According to information received this morning from the State Disaster Management Centre, the Badrinath National Highway is blocked near Helang in Chamoli district due to debris accumulation. In Devprayag (Tehri Garhwal district), the water level of the Bhagirathi River stood at 462.00 meters at 6:00 AM on Thursday; the level is rising and is currently flowing at the warning level.
In Rudraprayag district, due to excessive rainfall, the water levels at 7:00 AM were 627.70 meters for the Alaknanda River and 626.20 meters for the Mandakini River. The warning and danger levels for the Alaknanda River are 626.00 meters and 627.00 meters, respectively, while for the Mandakini River, they are 625.00 meters and 626.00 meters.
Instructions issued to maintain high vigilance
Currently, the water levels of both the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers exceed the danger mark. Consequently, in view of the Meteorological Department's warning and the rising water levels, instructions have been issued to maintain high vigilance in respective areas. Directives have been given to ensure the safety of the public living near riverbanks, advise people to move to safer locations and stay alert (using loudspeakers for warnings), and maintain the highest level of preparedness to tackle any natural disaster.
Additionally, the water level at the Raisi (Banganga) site in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, stands at 230.09 meters as of 6:00 AM; it is rising and flowing 0.09 meters above the warning level. In Dehradun district, it is raining in Chakrata. While it is cloudy in Vikasnagar, rain is occurring in Kalsi, Rishikesh, Doiwala, and Mussoorie; cloudy conditions are reported in the Tyuni area.
In Uttarkashi district, the Gangotri National Highway is reported to be blocked near Dharasu Nalu Pani. Meanwhile, the Yamunotri National Highway is obstructed due to continuous falling of stones and debris near Silai Bend, Durbil, Jungle Chatti, and Syana Chatti.
IMD prediction
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast on Thursday indicating that the monsoon will remain active over northwest India. Rainfall activity is expected to continue in the coming days across Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and the Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad region. According to the 'All India Weather Summary and Forecast Bulletin', isolated heavy rainfall is likely in several parts of the region.