By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun/Haridwar, 4 Aug: Large parts of Uttarakhand have been reeling under the fury of nature since yesterday and particularly since last night, as heavy rainfall has led to rivers and drains overflowing, raising the risk of floods and triggering widespread disruption. The water level of the Ganga River in Haridwar is rising continuously which is now flowing just 0.10 metres below the official warning level, prompting heightened vigilance from the police, administration, and disaster management authorities. Dehradun, Haridwar and many hill regions in the state have been witnessing continuous rains since last evening. Haridwar, in particular, has faced unrelenting rainfall since the previous night, resulting in a dramatic swell in the Ganga as well as other rivers, and flooding several localities within the city.
At Bhimgoda Barrage, the warning level for the Ganga is set at 293 metres, with the danger mark at 294 metres. As this report was filed this evening, Ganga was flowing at 292.90 metres, bringing it alarmingly close to breaching the critical threshold. The authorities have ramped up alerts in low-lying areas, advising residents to remain cautious and avoid venturing close to the riverbanks, as the potential for flooding remains high should the downpour continue.
Similar conditions were reported to be prevailing also in Rishikesh, where seasonal rivers are also swelling. The administration, on high alert, is making repeated announcements in low-lying zones, urging people to stay away from the banks of the Ganga and seasonal rivers. For the first time during this monsoon season, the Chandrabhaga River in Rishikesh has become particularly menacing, flooding parking areas along its banks as authorities brace for further deterioration. The administration has claimed that the water police and SDRF personnel continue to patrol all major Ganga ghats and are prepared for immediate response if needed. Travellers have also been issued advisories to avoid journeys into the hills in view of the persistent heavy rainfall.
Today, several state and national highways, along with rural routes, were blocked by fresh landslides in numerous districts. Tehri and the surrounding hills are also among the worst affected, with incessant rain triggering frequent landslides. A major landslide struck National Highway 34, today, ahead of the Plasda police post, leading to the closure of the Narendra Nagar-Plasda Road. Authorities report that reopening the route remains uncertain until the debris is cleared, with the ongoing torrential rain hampering relief efforts. As a result, vehicles have been detained at Plasda and Bhadrakali police posts, and passengers are being urged to confirm the latest conditions before travelling.
The Kedarnath Yatra route too has been severely impacted by the rains, near Sitapur where the falling boulders precipitated a stampede as shopkeepers and locals scrambled to escape the danger amidst heavy rain. In the Kedarnath valley, life is at a standstill due to continuous rainfall, with debris blocking several key routes and causing acute hardship for travellers.
In Dehradun district, the Kalsi-Chakrata motor road also became inaccessible after a landslide from Jajred hill this morning as a result of relentless rain since morning. Long queues of stranded vehicles were witnessed on either side of the blockage. The Public Works Department (PWD) was pressed into service to restore connectivity, and the road was cleared just this evening and traffic flow restored. It may be recalled that this vital 40 km serves as the lifeline for Jaunsar Bawar as well as it links Tyuni and Himachal, had just resumed operation after debris was cleared. Rural roads connected to this principal route also saw disruption, highlighting the scale of the calamity.
Dehradun city has also borne the brunt of incessant rain since midnight, resulting in waterlogging that has compounded daily hardships for residents. While the IMD weather forecast had issued an orange alert for today, the Dehradun district administration woke up rather late to this warning and it was only around 7 a.m. this morning that it issued an order directing the closure of schools. By that time, a large number of school children with or without their parents had already left home for the school amid heavy rain this morning.
In the hill regions, the threat of landslides persists due to continuous rains. In Pithoragarh’s border areas, a cloudburst was reported in Sobla village of Dharchula tehsil, leading to the blockage of the Sobla-Dhakar motor road, with local residents promptly informing authorities.
Meanwhile, Rohit Thapliyal, a scientist with the Meteorological Department, has confirmed that the current bout of heavy rain is expected to persist for at least the next 48 hours. The Department had earlier issued a warning for 3 and 4 August, with the latest advisory predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in most districts of Uttarakhand for another 24 hours, lasting until Tuesday.
According to the Meteorological Department, there remains a strong possibility of severe rainfall, accompanied by storms and lightning, across areas including Bageshwar, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri and Tehri, covering locations such as Mussoorie, Doiwala, Chakrata, Roorkee, Laksar, Devprayag, Srinagar, Kapkot, Ramnagar, Mukteshwar, Kotdwar and their environs. Authorities have reiterated their advice to avoid travelling to the hills unless absolutely necessary, as the risk of landslides and road closures remains high.
Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman today observed that the spell of rainfall continues across most districts since yesterday, causing multiple road blockages which are being cleared with JCB machines where feasible. He claimed that the situation is presently under control, with NDRF and SDRF teams kept ready to respond swiftly to any escalation.
