Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Aug: Uttarakhand has been severely battered by this year’s monsoon, leaving behind a trail of destruction that has deeply impacted lives and livelihoods across the state. Since the onset of the season, a series of disasters have struck the state, with the devastation in Dharali, Uttarkashi on 5 August in particular, drawing widespread attention. However, similar calamities occurred on 5 and 6 August in other regions as well, claiming lives and causing extensive damage. The scale of destruction has attracted comparisons with the catastrophic Kedarnath disaster of 2013, as the Dharali incident completely wiped out the local market, marking it as one of the most severe monsoon-related tragedies in recent memory. While yesterday, Kedarnath Yatra was halted for 3 days, Badrinath Yatra has also been halted in view of heavy rainfall in Chamoli district.
The relentless downpour in many parts of the state has led to overflowing rivers and streams, damaging roads and displacing residents in multiple districts. Chamoli, in particular, is grappling with the impact of continuous rainfall. With forecasts predicting further heavy rain in the coming days, the district administration has declared a two-day closure of all educational institutions. Schools from Class 1 to 12 and Anganwadi centres across Chamoli district will remain shut tomorrow and on 14 August, as per the directive issued by the Chief Executive Officer and Additional District Magistrate of the Chamoli District Disaster Management Authority. The decision has been taken in view of student safety, and applies to government, non-government and private schools alike. The Chief Education Officer and the District Programme Officer (Child Development) have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the order across all institutions.
In a further precautionary measure, the Chamoli District Administration has suspended the yatra to Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib until 14 August. District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari confirmed that the Badrinath Highway has been obstructed due to landslides, particularly at Bhaner Pani and Kameda, making travel unsafe. All trekking routes and sites in the region have also been closed as a preventive step.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand Meteorological Centre has issued a Red Alert for 13 and 14 August, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts including Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Bageshwar. Some areas may experience extremely heavy rainfall, raising concerns of further landslides, flash floods and disruption to essential services. Authorities across the state remain on high alert, urging residents to exercise caution and adhere to safety advisories as the monsoon continues to pose serious challenges to life and infrastructure.
