Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 29 Aug: With heavy rainfall lashing Uttarakhand’s hills, life has been thrown out of gear. The torrential rains in the hills are also directly impacting the plains, and rivers coming from the hills downwards towards the plains are reported to be in spate. The Ganga River is reported to be flowing above the danger mark in Haridwar. The water level of the Ganga has surpassed the danger mark of 294.00 metres in the city.
According to Junior Engineer Harish Prasad of the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, the water level of the Ganga is continuously rising due to the continuous rains in the hills. As a result, all flood outposts have been put on alert, and the Ganga’s water level is being continuously monitored. This information is also being regularly passed on to the Haridwar district administration and the Bijnor barrage in Uttar Pradesh. District administration teams are continuously making announcements in villages and residential areas near the river, appealing to locals to stay away from the riverbanks.
In another incident, a car was swept away in the Sookhi Nadi in Haridwar. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. A video of the debris and the car being swept away is being widely shared on social media. The overflowing rivers have created a sense of fear among devotees. The administration is repeatedly urging everyone to stay away from the riverbanks.
Meanwhile, rivers are also in spate in Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts, with the water levels of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers continuously rising. District administration teams are continuously alerting the public.
The next five days are also expected to be difficult for Uttarakhand. The Meteorological Department has issued a heavy rainfall warning for these days. According to the department, alerts have been issued for Pithoragarh, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, and Uttarkashi, while a yellow alert has been issued for Tehri, Pauri, Almora, and Nainital.
Administration teams have been put on alert in all districts. The District Magistrates have also instructed that JCB machines be deployed in landslide-prone areas and have emphasised reducing response time. They have also asked for teams to be deployed near rivers, streams, and waterlogged areas. The district administration has also instructed that people living on the banks of rivers and streams be shifted to other locations and that an adequate stock of food grains, essential medicines, etc., be maintained.
