Garhwal Post Bureau
Khatima, 3 Sep: Continuous rain over the past four days has wreaked havoc in the border region of Khatima, where waterlogging has forced residents of Van Rawat Basti to abandon their homes. Several rural and urban localities have been inundated as rivers and drains overflowed, prompting the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to launch rescue operations and relocate stranded families to safer locations. The situation remains grim, with a red alert in place while the Tehsil administration remains actively engaged in relief efforts, distributing food and water to affected residents. Many have taken shelter in makeshift tents along railway tracks, having fled their submerged homes.
The flood-like conditions have revived painful memories of last year’s deluge, as continuous rainfall once again paralyses life in Udham Singh Nagar district. Urban pockets of Khatima are grappling with severe waterlogging, while rural areas such as Chakarpur’s Van Rawat Basti, Melaghat Sisaiya, Bhagchuri, Nosar, Pratapur, Diya, Khetal Sanda Mustajar and Dah Dhanki near the UP border are battling rising waters. In Bhagchuri, SDRF personnel used motorboats to rescue dozens of families, and to relocate them to government schools where basic amenities have been arranged.
In Van Rawat Basti, seasonal drains have overflowed, submerging the entire settlement and forcing residents to live with their livestock in tarpaulin-covered shelters along the railway line.
Children from the flood-hit areas have been accommodated in the village Panchayat Ghar, where food is being provided. The authorities have urged all residents of Chakarpur Van Rawat Basti to shift to safer locations, as the threat of further disaster looms large despite the ongoing rain alert.
In Pithoragarh district, continuous rainfall has endangered nearly three dozen houses in Berinag and Gangolihat. In Mangad village, a landslide triggered by hillside erosion sent boulders crashing near residential structures, causing panic among villagers. SDM Ashish Joshi has confirmed that a revenue team led by a sub-inspector was dispatched to the site, and residents of vulnerable homes have been relocated. In Aamhat village, the homes of Ganesh Singh, Dev Singh and Munni Devi are reported to be at risk after debris damaged their protective walls. Village head Hema Navelia has appealed to the administration for prompt compensation to the affected families.
Meanwhile, in Berinag town, a landslide near Jawahar Chowk has endangered the residence of Rekha Mehra, whose family shifted to a neighbour’s house for safety. Another house in Daula Upreti village is also under threat. Senior Pramukh Dheeraj Bisht visited Mangad, Aamhat and Daula Upreti, assuring residents of all possible assistance. Across the Tehsil, nearly two dozen houses are reported to be at risk, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ashish Joshi stated that revenue teams are being sent wherever disaster reports are received, with residents being shifted accordingly. In Gangolihat Tehsil alone, a dozen houses face imminent danger due to the ongoing rain.
A JCB operator named Manoj Mehta was injured on the Berinag-Seraghat road when debris from a hillside collapsed onto his machine while he was clearing a previous landslide near the police post. The JCB has been damaged in the incident, and a team from the Tehsildar’s office in Ganai Gangoli, along with Berinag police, reached the spot. The road closure has led to a long queue of vehicles on both sides, further compounding the challenges posed by the relentless rain.
