Uttarakhand: Unrelenting monsoon rains halt Kedarnath Dham Yatra; IMD issues red alert

The Kedarnath Yatra in Uttarakhand has been halted at Sonprayag and Gaurikund due to persistent heavy rainfall.

As reported by ANI, the district administration took this precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the travellers in light of unfavourable weather conditions.

As a result of the rain, 4 state roads and 10 connecting roads are blocked due to debris. The Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers are also flowing at high levels due to the heavy downpour, according to the officials.

Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for July 12 on Monday.

Also Read: Slum dwellers evacuated as Yamuna crosses danger mark in Delhi after rains

"Orange Alert: Uttarakhand and adjoining areas of Western Uttar Pradesh likely to get Heavy to Very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4mm) on 12th July", IMD shared in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the state administration is on full alert mode in view of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) heavy rainfall alert in the region.

Talking about the precautionary arrangement made in the state, CM Dhami said, "Every year during monsoon time here, we have to face natural calamities. There are landslides due to excessive precipitation, and the water level of the rivers increases. We are in full alert mode. All district administration officials and those in our disaster management are doing their work. All of them have been asked to stay in alert mode to face any situation. Our other organizations are also working on this. NDRF, Army, and our PWD department are all ready to face any situation and we are constantly in touch with the people to help them in any situation."

Also Read: Delhi floods: Yamuna water level surpasses warning mark, national capital on high alert

On Tuesday, four persons died and 10 people were injured due to falling debris on Gangotri National Highway near Gangnani in Uttarakhand.

Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a red alert for July 11 and 12.

"A red alert has been issued in four districts. We are in alert mode. CM also took the review yesterday. Only one unfortunate incident has taken place in which 4 people died and seven were injured. Rest everything is under control. We are continuously working to ensure the safety of people," Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha said.

Meanwhile, Naresh Kumar, an IMD scientist said, “A red alert has been issued for Uttarakhand. Apart from that heavy rainfall is expected in northwest UP. Significant rain has subsided in Himachal and light to moderate rain is likely to occur in Delhi/NCR.”

Meanwhile, Dhami on Tuesday said that the state administration is on full alert mode in view of the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) heavy rainfall alert in the region.

The Jummagad river in the border area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, has experienced severe flooding, resulting in the destruction of a bridge constructed over it, as per PTI.

As a consequence, the Indo-Tibet border road in that area has been blocked, and communication with more than a dozen border villages has been lost. The flooding in the Jummagad river, which is located near Jumma village on the Joshimath-Niti highway, approximately 45 km from Joshimath, persisted until late Monday evening, leading to the collapse of the bridge.

(With inputs from agencies)