Uttarakhand rainfall: CM Dhami takes stock of destruction

Chamoli (Uttarakhand) [India], August 14 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday held separate telephonic conversations with district magistrates and took stock of the devastation in the State caused by heavy rains.

Due to heavy rains in Uttarakhand since Sunday, normal life was disrupted in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pauri and Dehradun districts and other areas.

Badrinath National Highway in the Pipalkoti area in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district was een blocked due to debris triggered by a landslide, following intermittent rainfall. Several vehicles have also been buried under the debris.

“Information has been received about one person buried under the debris/missing in Pipalkoti,” DM Chamoli Himanshu Khurana told ANI. 

“Some portion of the road has been damaged due to heavy debris near Pipalkoti on the Badrinath National Highway,” Chamoli Police Uttarakhand said in a tweet.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert and predicted heavy rainfall with lightning in six districts of the state for the next twenty-four hours.

According to Chamoli district magistrate Himanshu Khurana, heavy damage has been caused by heavy rains in the Mayapur of Nagar Panchayat Pipalkoti.

“On Sunday night in Chamoli Badrinath National Highway Mayapur Gadora, the devastation caused havoc in the Mayapur market. Many vehicles in Mayapur are feared to be buried under the debris caused by the intermittent rains,” Chamoli district magistrate said.

Amid incessant rainfall, the water of the Nandakini River entered houses of Kumartoli locality and drain water entered inside shops in Pipalkoti in Chamoli district on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, Rudraprayag Police have issued guidelines asking people to avoid unnecessary travel.

“Due to incessant rains, the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers passing through the Rudraprayag area have become fierce, so avoid going to the banks of the river. Due to the rain, the routes are also obstructed at many places, so avoid unnecessary travel if it is not necessary,” Rudraprayag Police Uttarakhand tweeted.

The Alaknanda River is in full spate and has reached above the danger mark.

Uttarakhand’s Srinagar Kotwal Ravi Saini said that “In view of the rising water level of the river, the police have been alerting the people since night, and the people of the houses built on the banks of the river are being alerted.”

An official estimate earlier put the toll from rain-related incidents at 52 while another 37 people were injured. Heavy rains in Uttarakhand triggered landslides and flash floods in several places, officials said.