Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 4 Aug: In view of incessant rainfall across Uttarakhand, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman today reviewed the emerging situation and issued critical directives to all district disaster management officers. Citing warnings from the Meteorological Department forecasting heavy rain across various districts, he stressed the urgency of remaining on high alert.
Suman shared that a red alert has been sounded for Tehri, Dehradun, Pauri and Bageshwar, while Haridwar, Nainital and Champawat have been placed under orange alert. In line with this, the State Emergency Operations Centre has formally communicated instructions to all districts.
Suman has directed all the district-level officials concerned and the quick response teams (QRTs) to maintain a 24-hour state of readiness, ensuring that preparations are complete to tackle any exigency. He emphasised swift deployment of teams in cases of waterlogging to facilitate immediate drainage. Highlighting the risks posed by rising water levels, he directed continuous monitoring of rivers and urged authorities to prevent the public from approaching riverbanks. He called for the safety of workers at all construction sites and instructed proactive supervision of flood-prone zones. He also stressed the need for rainfall intensity analysis to identify vulnerable locations and formulate pre-emptive action plans. Additionally, all obstructions hindering natural water flow need to be removed without delay.
The Secretary also ordered adequate provisioning of essential items such as ration, medicines and drinking water. Ensuring uninterrupted supply in affected areas was declared a top priority. Present during the review were Additional Chief Executive Officer (Administration) Anand Swaroop, Additional Chief Executive Officer (DIG) Rajkumar Negi, Joint Chief Executive Officer Mohd Obaidullah Ansari, Duty Officer and Under Secretary Vikas Kumar Srivastava, along with experts from the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA).
Besides this Suman also sought from the officials, details on blocked roads across the state. He instructed speedy clearance of these routes and directed timely dissemination of road status information so that the public can travel as per prevailing conditions. Special attention was also mandated for powerhouses, with orders to cut off electricity supply in advance in case of flood threats to prevent damage and casualties.
In addition, USDMA has issued a public appeal urging citizens to take meteorological warnings seriously, avoid circulating or acting on rumours, and rely solely on official communication. People are advised to steer clear of riversides, waterlogged zones and unnecessary travel, and to promptly notify local authorities upon sensing danger. Caution is advised while driving in landslide-prone areas. It has been also shared that emergency services may be reached through helpline numbers 112, 1070 and 1077. In cases of road closure, commuters should wait at safe locations and proceed only once conditions permit. It was also advised that under no circumstances should vehicles be driven through rapidly flowing water in seasonal streams.
