Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Sep: Uttarakhand is set to face heavy rainfall over the coming days, posing severe challenges particularly in the hill districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for most parts of the state for the next twenty-four hours, while the remaining districts will remain under an orange alert thereafter. It may also be recalled that, in view of the red alert, the Char Dham Yatra and the Hemkund Sahib Yatra have been suspended till 5 September by the government and the pilgrims have been advised not to proceed further till resumption.
The state has already been witnessing relentless downpours, which are expected to continue, raising serious concerns as many areas have suffered considerable damage. The forecast indicates the likelihood of heavy rainfall across almost all districts over the next twenty-four hours, and the situation is expected to remain critical over next few days.
In the wake of cloudburst-related incidents in different parts of the state, the district administration, the State Disaster Response Force and other agencies are engaged in rescue and relief operations. However, the continuing heavy rainfall forecast has posed a significant obstacle to these efforts, making it difficult to accelerate assistance for the affected people.
According to the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar have been placed on a red alert for the next twenty-four hours, while Chamoli and Rudraprayag in the Garhwal region have been placed under an orange alert, signalling the possibility of heavy rainfall. In Kumaon, Bageshwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital have also been put under a red alert.
The forecast further warns of continued rainfall in the subsequent forty-eight hours. Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Bageshwar have been placed under an orange alert during this period, with the possibility of very heavy rainfall on 3 and 4 September. A yellow alert has been issued for the remaining districts. The department has also extended the warning, placing several parts of the state on a yellow alert for 3 and 4 September, with the likelihood of heavy showers in some areas.
