Uttarakhand: Chamoli Police urges locals to be on “alert” amid rising water level of Pindar river

Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], July 5 (ANI): Uttarakhand Police on Friday issued an alert for the people residing on the banks of the Pindar River due to a rise in the water level of the river.

Heavy downpours and incessant rainfall in the district have resulted in the Pindar River’s water level rising significantly which led to an issuance of alert for the locals.

The police have appealed to people to be on “alert mode” and inform about any emergency by dialling 112.

Taking it a social media post on X, the Chamoli Police Uttarakhand wrote in Hindi, “Due to continuous rain in the district, the water level of the Pindar river is rising and the velocity of the water is high. Chamoli Police appeals to the people living on the river banks to please be alert and inform about any emergency on dial 112.”

Earlier in the day, in a tragic incident, about 8-9 km ahead of Gangotri on the Gomukh footpath, 30-40 pilgrims were stranded and two were washed away when a temporary bridge collapsed due to a sudden increase in water flow in a river at Devgad in Uttarakhand.

Upon receiving the information, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team reached the spot and helped the stranded pilgrims cross the river safely.

According to the SDRF, sixteen pilgrims have been saved, and the rescue operation for others is underway.

Earlier, the SDRF on Thursday rescued 10 youngsters who were stranded on an island near Robbers Cave in Dehradun.

“We received information from the City Control Room (CCR) that some people had been trapped on an island near Robbers Cave (Guchhupani), for whose rescue an SDRF team is required,” SDRF officials said.

On receiving the information, the SDRF rescue team, along with sub-inspector Laxmi Rawat from post-Sahastradhara, immediately left for the site of the incident with the necessary rescue equipment.

The SDRF team reached the site of the incident and took immediate action.

Subsequently, the 10 people trapped on the island were brought to a safe place by crossing the river with great difficulty using rope through the strong current of the river, said the SDRF.

Heavy downpours resulted in the Ganga River’s water level rising significantly, flooding roads and leaving several vehicles partially or completely submerged.

Local authorities had advised residents and visitors to avoid bathing in the river due to the hazardous conditions.