Monsoon Hits North India
Dehradun: Uttarakhand has been battered by the rain fury. The torrential rain has caused landslips in the higher reaches and swept away several roads and bridges in Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts. It has also led to suspension of the Char Dham Yatra.
The rain has caused havoc in Kedarnath Valley, one of the four Hindu pilgrim spots (Char Dham) in Uttarakhand, where more than 100 houses have reportedly collapsed due to landslide. Reports say 25 people have been killed and more than 50 others are missing. Reports also say that nearly 24,000 pilgrims are stranded in the valley because of landslides.
10 choppers have been ordered to assist in evacuating those stranded, however, unfavourable weather conditions have made it impossible for the choppers to land. 12 teams of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) have reached some of the worst-affected areas like Rudraprayag Flash floods in the Assiganga in Uttarkashi swept away vehicles and heavy machineries yesterday evening with a high alert being sounded for local residents and labourers to move to higher ground. The state government has sounded a warning of 48 hours to all those on the Char Dham Yatra across the hill-districts.
Both Mandakini and Alaknanda, major tributaries of the Ganga, are flowing over the danger mark and the bridge connecting Rudraprayag and Gaurikund has been damaged leading to its closure, disaster management officer Meera Kenthura said.
State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Yashpal Arya said the administration is on alert to deal with any emergency.
All government schools in capital Dehradun have been closed as precautionary measure.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is busy repairing the roads damaged by rains, he said, adding that the state government has also sought the assistance of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to clear the roads blocked due to landslides.
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